Honestly, the FA Cup is weird. People keep saying it’s "lost its magic," but then you see a guy like Ben Watson or Youri Tielemans smash one in, and suddenly everyone is crying. It is the oldest national football competition in the world. Since 1871, it has produced a list of football FA Cup winners that reads like a map of English history, from the posh amateur "Wanderers" to the modern-day oil-wealth giants.
But there is a lot of revisionist history out there. You’ve probably heard that the big teams always win. Or that the trophy doesn't matter anymore. That's kinda garbage. Tell that to the Crystal Palace fans who just saw their team lift the trophy in 2025. Or the Macclesfield fans who, just this January 2026, knocked out those very same holders in the third round.
The Cup is a chaotic, beautiful mess.
The Heavyweights: Who Actually Owns the Trophy?
If we’re looking at the numbers, Arsenal is the king. Period. They’ve won it 14 times. Arsène Wenger basically turned the competition into his own personal playground, winning seven of those himself. It’s a record that’s going to be tough to beat, even with Manchester United breathing down their necks with 13 titles.
United’s recent 2024 win was a classic example of why this tournament is so strange. They were having a miserable season. Erik ten Hag was reportedly on the verge of being sacked. Then they showed up at Wembley and absolutely stifled Manchester City. Two teenagers, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, scored the goals. City, who were the heavy favorites, looked human for once.
It’s not just about the big two, though.
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- Chelsea: 8 wins (They’ve been in so many finals lately it’s hard to keep track).
- Liverpool: 8 wins (The 2022 penalty shootout win over Chelsea was a marathon).
- Tottenham: 8 wins (Though the "Spursy" jokes persist because their last one was in 1991).
- Manchester City: 7 wins (Including that 6-0 demolition of Watford in 2019).
- Aston Villa: 7 wins (Mostly from a time when players wore trousers on the pitch).
When the Script Gets Shredded
The reason we care about the list of football FA Cup winners isn't because of the 14 Arsenal wins. It’s because of the anomalies.
Take Wigan Athletic in 2013. That was peak FA Cup. They were literally being relegated from the Premier League while simultaneously beating the richest team in the world, Manchester City, in a final. Ben Watson—a substitute—headed the ball into the net in the 91st minute. The Wigan owner, Dave Whelan, was beaming in the stands with his broken leg story that he’s told about a thousand times.
That shouldn't happen. But it did.
Then you have 2008. Portsmouth vs. Cardiff City. Harry Redknapp’s Pompey took the title thanks to a Nwankwo Kanu tap-in. It was the first time in ages that a team from outside the "Big Four" won it. Cardiff, a Championship side at the time, actually gave them a massive run for their money.
And don’t even get me started on Leicester City in 2021. After their legendary 5000-1 Premier League win, they finally bagged their first-ever FA Cup. Youri Tielemans hit a rocket from 30 yards out. The VAR drama at the end—disallowing Ben Chilwell's equalizer for a tiny offside—was the kind of tension that makes your heart actually hurt.
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The "Non-League" Myth and Real Giants
People love a giant-killing. We talk about them every January. But here is a reality check: a non-league team has never won the FA Cup in its modern format. The last time an "outside" team won was Tottenham in 1901, and they were in the Southern League at the time (which was basically professional anyway).
However, the shocks are getting more frequent.
Just a few days ago, on January 13, 2026, sixth-tier Macclesfield dumped out the holders Crystal Palace. 2-1. At a stadium named after a website. That is the magic. It’s the fact that a guy who probably works as a plumber on Tuesdays can tackle a multi-millionaire on a Saturday and come away with the ball.
Most Recent Final Results
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Crystal Palace | Manchester City | 1-0 |
| 2024 | Manchester United | Manchester City | 2-1 |
| 2023 | Manchester City | Manchester United | 2-1 |
| 2022 | Liverpool | Chelsea | 0-0 (6-5 pens) |
| 2021 | Leicester City | Chelsea | 1-0 |
Crystal Palace’s 2025 win was a defensive masterclass. They took the lead through Eberechi Eze and just... held on. Manchester City had something like 80% possession and just couldn't break them down. It felt like a throwback.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that the FA Cup is a "distraction" for big clubs. It’s actually the opposite. For managers like Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp, it was often the trophy that kept the momentum going for a Treble or a Double.
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Another thing? The "Home Draw" advantage. Everyone thinks playing at home is a guaranteed win. Statistically, it helps, but the "muddy pitch" equalizer is real. When a Premier League team travels to a League Two side with a slope on the pitch and a dressing room that smells like damp socks, the technical gap shrinks fast.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you’re looking to truly understand the lineage of football FA Cup winners, don't just look at the trophies. Look at the paths.
- Check the "Road to Wembley" stats: Teams that win often concede very few goals in the early rounds. Portsmouth in 2008 only conceded one goal the entire tournament. Defensive solidity wins cups.
- Watch the Third Round closely: This is where the big boys usually slip up. The transition from a European midweek game to a cold Saturday in the sticks is a psychological trap.
- Follow the prize money: For smaller clubs, winning a few rounds isn't just about the glory; it's about survival. A televised game against a big club can fund a League Two team for two seasons.
- Analyze the Manager's focus: If a team is safe in the mid-table of the Premier League by March, they are the most dangerous threats in the FA Cup. They have nothing else to play for.
The FA Cup isn't dying. It’s just changing. It’s no longer the only game on TV, which makes it feel less "special" to some, but for the clubs involved, it’s still the quickest way to immortality. One header. One save. One afternoon at Wembley. That’s all it takes to be remembered forever.
To keep track of the current 2025-26 season, keep an eye on the replays—which are still a point of huge debate among the fans—as they often provide the biggest upsets of the year. Check the official FA website for the updated fourth-round draw, as the big teams are starting to fall already.