The Emirates FA Cup Final

The Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley Park: At a Glance

The Emirates FA Cup Final takes place on Saturday 16 May 2026 at Wembley Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0WS. Kick-off is at 15:00. This year's final is Chelsea v Manchester City. The FA Cup is the world's oldest national football competition, founded in 1871/72 and now in its 145th edition (the competition has been suspended only during the two World Wars).Tickets are sold exclusively by the two competing clubs not through Wembley Stadium or this website.Wembley Stadium is cashless. Contactless and card payments are accepted at all kiosks.No under-2s are permitted inside the stadium.Street food, bars and restaurants across Wembley Park open from 11am on matchday.

Your Ultimate Wembley Park Matchday Guide

If you're heading to Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup Final this May, Wembley Park is the place to start. Arrive early, eat well, explore the neighbourhood, and you'll have a day to remember long after the final whistle.

Tickets for the Emirates FA Cup Final

Tickets for the Emirates FA Cup Final are allocated exclusively by the two competing clubs, they are not sold directly by Wembley Stadium or through this website. To purchase tickets, visit the official website of the club you support once the finalists are confirmed.

Be cautious of secondary market sellers. The FA recommends purchasing only through official club channels or authorised resellers to avoid counterfeit or void tickets. Always check the face value printed on your ticket, resale prices can be significantly inflated.

For the ultimate matchday experience, Experiences by Wembley Stadium offers hospitality memberships with priority access to tickets, exclusive suites, restaurants and premium bars inside the stadium. If you're travelling to Wembley Park on matchday without a ticket, many venues will be screening the match. Check our What's On listings for matchday screenings across Wembley Park.

Matchday date, kick-off and entry times

The Emirates FA Cup Final takes place on Saturday 16 May 2026. Kick-off is at 15:00. Full time is expected at 16:45 (extra time and penalties if required).

Confirmed matchday timeline

• 11:00, Wembley Park restaurants, bars and BOXPARK open. East and West Fan Zones open at the Stadium Concourse and Arena Square. Olympic Way fills fast on cup final day, arrive early.
• 12:00, Hospitality doors open.
• 13:00, General Admission doors open. Allow 30-45 minutes to clear entry queues at full capacity.
• 14:30, East and West Fan Zones close.
• 15:00, Kick-off.
• 16:45, Full time (extra time and penalties if required).
• 18:45, Olympic Way and surrounding roads clear. Stay at Wembley Park, bars and restaurants open late, let the crowds clear before heading to the tube.
  
  

Road closures around Wembley Stadium

If you're driving on matchday, plan around the following closures. Times marked with an asterisk may extend if the match goes to extra time and penalties.

Full closure, 11:00 – 18:45*

• Atlantic Crescent
• Pacific Crescent
• Fulton Road (Empire Way to Albion Way, westbound to eastbound)
• Rutherford Way (resident and delivery access only)
• Engineers Way (Empire Way to First Way, westbound to eastbound)
• South Way (Wembley Hill Road to Pink Parking, westbound to eastbound)

Post-event closure from approximately 18:45*

• Empire Way
• London Road
• Ecclestone Place
• Wembley Hill Road (from Wembley Triangle to Empire Way)

We strongly recommend public transport on matchday.

Tube and rail services on matchday

Enhanced services are running on key lines for the FA Cup Final.

• Wembley Park, Enhanced Metropolitan line, normal Jubilee line.
• Wembley Central, Normal Bakerloo line and Lioness line.
• Wembley Stadium, Enhanced Chiltern services.
  
  

Bus diversions on matchday

Several routes are diverted before and after the match.

• Pre-event diversions: routes 18, 92, 206.
• Post-event diversions: routes 83, 182, 223, 224, 483.

Use the TfL Go app for real-time arrivals on matchday.

Stadium essentials for the Emirates FA Cup Final

Wembley Stadium has a few key policies in place to keep matchday safe and running smoothly. Check the official Wembley links on the day of the fixture for any last-minute updates.

Bag policy

Wembley operates a strict restricted bag policy. Bags must be no larger than an A4 piece of paper (approx. 30×21×21cm), and anything bigger will be turned away at the external bag checks. If you need to bring a larger bag or medical items, you must apply for a medical exemption in advance via the official Wembley help centre.

Cashless stadium

Wembley Stadium is fully cashless. All food kiosks, bars and merchandise stands accept debit and credit cards or mobile payments (Apple Pay / Google Pay) only. Make sure you have at least one working card or phone wallet set up before you arrive.

Age and entry rules

No children under 2 are permitted inside the stadium. All children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Always check the official Wembley Event Guide for the most up-to-date age, entry and prohibited items information before you travel.

Emirates FA Cup Final: Wembley Stadium Seating Plan

Wembley Stadium holds 90,000 across three main tiers, lower, middle and upper, wrapping the full bowl. Tickets are allocated by the two competing clubs, so seat categories and pricing will be confirmed by each club once the finalists are announced.

The lower tier wraps closest to the pitch and offers the most immersive atmosphere. The upper tier gives a full elevated view of the entire bowl. Use the View From My Seat tool on the official club ticketing page to check the sightlines from your specific block before buying. All under-14s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. No children under 2 are permitted inside the stadium.

Getting here

The fastest and easiest route is by tube. Wembley Park station (Metropolitan and Jubilee lines) is a ten-minute flat walk along Olympic Way directly to the stadium gates. On matchday, trains run every 3–4 minutes from central London. Baker Street takes 12 minutes. King's Cross takes around 20 minutes.

Wembley Stadium station (Chiltern Railways, 9 minutes from Marylebone) is another option. We strongly recommend public transport on matchday, roads around the stadium are heavily managed on event days.

Where to eat and drink before the FA Cup Final

Wembley Park has over 50 places to eat and drink within a max 5-minute walk of the stadium, all open from 11am on matchday. Whether you want a sit-down meal, street food on the go or a pre-match pint, the neighbourhood has it covered.

From Michelin-starred Indian at Masalchi to fresh pasta at Remoli, world-famous doughnuts at Bread Ahead and over 20 street food traders at BOXPARK Wembley, there is something for every appetite and every budget.

BOXPARK Wembley

BOXPARK Wembley brings the matchday atmosphere with three bars and over 20 street food traders. Across two floors you'll find live music, screens, and plenty of space to soak up the buzz before kick-off or relax afterwards. The kitchens stay open late, so you can eat, drink, and let the Olympic Way crowds clear before heading to the tube.

Where to drink before and after the FA Cup Final

Note that street drinking on the Wembley Park estate itself is not permitted, so head to one of the dedicated venues below.

Feed The Yak on Olympic Way is a craft beer taproom and sports bar with 20 beer lines serving the largest selection of draught beer in north-west London, right at the foot of the stadium, open before and after the match. The White Horse in Arena Square is a Fuller's pub with a terrace overlooking OVO Arena Wembley Park, offering cocktails, craft beer and food until late on matchday.

The world's most historic football competition

The Emirates FA Cup is the oldest national football competition on the planet. Founded in the 1871/72 season, it has produced more than 150 years of upsets, drama and unforgettable final-day moments, and Wembley Stadium has been its home since 2007.

Every year, more than 700 clubs enter. By the time the last two sides walk out at Wembley in May, they've survived a gruelling run of rounds spanning months and, for some, decades of waiting. That journey is what makes the Final so charged: it isn't just a match, it's the culmination of a season-long story.

For fans, being part of a near-capacity crowd inside Wembley Stadium on cup final day is one of English football's defining experiences. The noise when the teams emerge from the tunnel. The moment the trophy is lifted. There is nothing quite like it in the football calendar, and Wembley Park puts you right at the heart of it.

Shopping near Wembley Stadium at London Designer Outlet

London Designer Outlet has more than 70 outlet stores including Nike, Calvin Klein, Levi's, Tommy Hilfiger and Boss, all at up to 70% off RRP, five minutes' walk from the stadium gates. Open until 9pm on show nights.

For footwear, Skechers, Converse, Kurt Geiger and Dune London all have outlet stores at LDO. For sportswear, Adidas, Nike, New Balance and The North Face are all represented.