It's the clash of the titans—and the underdogs—as Chelsea and Manchester City prepare to battle it out for the 2026 FA Cup Final at the iconic Wembley Stadium. For Chelsea, this is a shot at redemption and a ninth FA Cup trophy, while Man City is hunting for their eighth. But the stakes go beyond silverware: this is a story of two teams heading in opposite directions.
Man City enters as the heavy favorite, sitting comfortably at No. 2 in the Premier League and riding an unbeaten streak that stretches back to January. When these two sides last met in April, City cruised to a 3-0 victory. Chelsea, meanwhile, has struggled mightily, sinking to ninth in the league and without a Premier League win since March. A victory at Wembley would be a massive lift for the Blues—and a classic FA Cup upset.
And if there's any tournament built for surprises, it's the FA Cup. As the oldest soccer competition in the world, it's famous for pitting giants against minnows and delivering drama that defies the odds. Chelsea will be hoping to channel that magic, especially after watching Man City stumble in their last two FA Cup finals. Last year, Crystal Palace pulled off a stunning upset, and the year before, City fell short again. Head coach Pep Guardiola hasn't held back his frustration, calling out the officiating and VAR decisions, which he described as "a flip of a coin."
The action kicks off at 3 p.m. UK time (10 a.m. ET), with pregame coverage starting an hour earlier on ESPN2. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love a good underdog story, this is a match you won't want to miss. Here's how to stream it live from the U.S., including options with free trials.
DirecTV offers several packages that include ESPN, like the MySports pack starting at $45 per month for the first two months (with a five-day free trial), or the Entertainment plan at $85 per month. Sports streaming service Fubo also provides a free trial, and its Sports + News plan gives you full access to the match and more. Grab your lucky jersey, settle in, and get ready for a final that could rewrite the narrative for both clubs.