The FA Cup has a habit of making predictions look foolish. Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 in the 2026 final to lift their eighth FA Cup, while Arsenal remain the competition’s most successful club with 14 wins.

That history is exactly why the question of which teams can win the FA Cup never has one simple answer.

As the next edition takes shape, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and several other established clubs have the pedigree to believe they can reach Wembley. The route won’t be straightforward, though. That’s the beauty of English football’s oldest knockout competition.

Manchester City Start Among the Strongest FA Cup Teams With a Chance

Manchester City are the obvious place to begin after winning the 2026 FA Cup final.

Their 1-0 victory over Chelsea gave the club an eighth success in the competition. That total moved City level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur on the all-time list.

Winning the cup once is difficult. Defending it brings a different challenge.

Every opponent knows exactly what they’re facing when City arrive. Lower-ranked teams often treat those matches as the biggest occasion of their season, while fellow Premier League sides see a chance to knock out the holders.

The Experience of Winning Matters

City’s recent success gives them something valuable: proof that they can handle the pressure of the later rounds.

Cup football becomes increasingly tense after the early stages. A league season gives teams time to recover from mistakes. The FA Cup doesn’t always offer that luxury.

One bad performance can end the campaign.

That’s why knockout experience remains one of City’s biggest advantages. Their players and coaching staff understand the demands of major domestic and European competitions.

Can City Do It Again?

Back-to-back FA Cup victories are never guaranteed, even for the strongest teams.

Still, the 2026 triumph means Manchester City must be included in any serious conversation about the clubs capable of going all the way.

They enter the discussion as champions, and champions are always dangerous in a knockout tournament.

Arsenal Have History on Their Side

No club has won more FA Cups than Arsenal.

The Gunners have 14 FA Cup victories, placing them ahead of Manchester United, who have won the competition 13 times.

That record matters because Arsenal’s relationship with the tournament runs deep. The club knows what Wembley success feels like, and generations of supporters have grown up expecting the FA Cup to be part of the club’s story.

History doesn’t score goals, of course. It doesn’t make a difficult away tie easier either.

But it does show that Arsenal have repeatedly found ways to succeed in this competition.

A Record That Sets the Standard

Arsenal’s position at the top of the all-time winners list gives them a special connection with the tournament.

For any club chasing the trophy, Arsenal represent the benchmark.

The numbers are clear:

• 14 FA Cups: Arsenal
• 13 FA Cups: Manchester United
• 8 FA Cups: Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City

Those totals underline just how difficult it is to dominate the competition across different eras.

Why Arsenal Belong in the Conversation

Arsenal don’t need a history lesson to justify their place among the contenders.

Any club with that level of FA Cup pedigree enters the tournament carrying serious expectations. The challenge, as always, is turning potential into victories across several knockout rounds.

A favourable draw can help. So can avoiding injuries and managing a busy schedule.

Yet the biggest factor remains simple: Arsenal know this competition.

That makes them one of the FA Cup teams with a chance of going all the way every time the tournament reaches its decisive stages.

Manchester United and Their Long FA Cup Tradition

Manchester United have won the FA Cup 13 times, leaving them second only to Arsenal on the competition’s all-time honours list.

Their most recent success came in the 2023–24 final, when United beat Manchester City 2-1. Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scored for United, while Jeremy Doku replied for City.

That result also showed something important about the FA Cup.

Even when one side is widely considered stronger, a final can turn on a handful of moments.

Wembley Is Familiar Territory

Manchester United’s history includes many memorable FA Cup finals.

Their first victory came in 1909, and the club’s successes have stretched across different generations and managerial eras.

The 2023–24 victory was their 13th FA Cup.

That puts United in rare company.

Thirteen FA Cup wins is not just an impressive statistic. It reflects a club that has repeatedly handled the pressure of major cup matches.

The Cup Can Offer a Different Story

League football often reveals who performs best over months.

The FA Cup asks a different question.

Can a team deliver on one afternoon? Can it survive a difficult away trip? Can it stay calm when a match reaches extra time or penalties?

Manchester United’s history suggests they are comfortable answering those questions.

That doesn’t make them automatic favourites. Nobody is.

It does make them a team opponents won’t want to face when the competition gets serious.

Chelsea Have the Recent Pedigree to Challenge Again

Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City in the 2026 final will have hurt.

They reached Wembley and came within one match of winning another major domestic trophy, only to lose 1-0.

Still, reaching the final itself is a reminder of Chelsea’s strength in knockout football.

The club has won the FA Cup eight times, placing it alongside Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City in the group immediately behind Arsenal and Manchester United.

A Club Built for Big Occasions

Chelsea have a long record of competing for major trophies.

That experience becomes important as the FA Cup progresses from crowded early rounds toward the pressure of Wembley.

A semi-final or final can feel completely different from a regular league fixture.

The atmosphere changes. The stakes rise. Every missed chance becomes a talking point.

Cup experience can help players handle those moments.

The Motivation After Losing a Final

There is also another angle.

Teams that lose a major final sometimes return to the competition with extra determination. A defeat doesn’t guarantee improvement, but it can leave a lasting memory.

Chelsea don’t need to prove they can reach the final.

They did exactly that in 2026.

The next challenge is taking the final step, and that alone makes them one of the more credible teams to watch.

Liverpool Cannot Be Ignored in the FA Cup Race

Liverpool have won the FA Cup eight times.

Their victories came in 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2006 and 2022, with the 2022 success being the club’s most recent.

That record gives Liverpool a strong place in the competition’s history.

The club’s eight victories put it level with Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City.

The 2022 Win Still Matters

Liverpool’s most recent FA Cup triumph came at Wembley in 2022.

While past success doesn’t predict future results, winning a major knockout competition remains part of the club’s modern identity.

Liverpool are used to playing high-pressure matches.

They are also one of the clubs with the size and expectation that makes every domestic cup campaign important.

Eight FA Cup wins provide plenty of evidence that Liverpool know how to go deep in the tournament.

Why Their Route Will Matter

Like every contender, Liverpool’s chances could change quickly depending on the draw.

An early meeting with another major club creates a very different route from a series of matches against lower-ranked opponents.

That’s why predicting the FA Cup before the draw develops can be risky.

The safest conclusion is that Liverpool have the pedigree and experience to compete for the trophy, but the tournament itself will decide how difficult their path becomes.

Tottenham, Newcastle and Other Clubs Could Break Through

The FA Cup isn’t reserved for the clubs with the biggest recent trophy collections.

Tottenham Hotspur have won the competition eight times, while Newcastle United have six victories and Aston Villa have seven.

Those numbers are reminders that English football’s traditional FA Cup story extends beyond the most obvious names.

Tottenham Have Serious Cup History

Tottenham’s eight FA Cup wins put them level with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.

That is significant history.

Spurs may not always be the first name mentioned when early predictions begin, but their record demands respect.

The FA Cup can also give a club a different opportunity from a long league campaign.

A successful run can build confidence. Momentum can grow from one round to the next.

Tottenham’s eight titles show that the club belongs in the competition’s elite historical group.

Newcastle and Aston Villa Have Their Own Reasons to Believe

Newcastle’s six FA Cup victories and Aston Villa’s seven demonstrate the depth of competition among England’s major clubs.

Neither side needs to be considered a favourite simply because of those totals.

But history shows they are far from strangers to FA Cup success.

For supporters, that matters.

A strong cup run doesn’t begin with a guarantee. It begins with belief that the route to Wembley is possible.

Newcastle and Villa have enough history to know that possibility is real.

Why the FA Cup Draw Can Change Everything

Predicting a cup winner before the tournament develops is difficult for one major reason: the draw.

League position and squad quality matter, but the FA Cup creates its own path.

A top club could face another top club early.

A difficult away match could test a heavily favoured team.

Meanwhile, another contender might receive a more manageable route.

One Match Can Rewrite the Story

The 2025–26 competition provided several examples of how quickly cup campaigns can change.

In the quarter-finals, Manchester City beat Liverpool 4-0, Chelsea defeated Port Vale 7-0, Southampton beat Arsenal 2-1, and Leeds United eliminated West Ham after a penalty shootout.

Those results underline the unpredictability of knockout football.

A famous name provides no protection once the whistle blows.

The Road to Wembley Is Rarely Straight

The 2025–26 semi-finals saw Manchester City beat Southampton 2-1 and Chelsea defeat Leeds United 1-0.

City then beat Chelsea 1-0 in the final on May 16, 2026.

That run shows how difficult the closing stages can become.

By the time the tournament reaches Wembley, the margins are often small.

One goal can separate finalists.

One defensive mistake can end months of work.

That’s why the FA Cup remains so difficult to call.

What Makes a Team Capable of Going All the Way?

The strongest FA Cup contenders usually have more than one advantage.

A famous badge alone isn’t enough.

Squad quality matters, but so does the ability to rotate players without losing too much control of a match.

Squad Depth

Cup competitions can place extra demands on a team already competing in league and European fixtures.

Managers often have difficult decisions to make.

Should they rest key players? Should they play their strongest side? How much risk is acceptable?

Squad depth can make those decisions easier.

Knockout Temperament

Some players thrive when the pressure rises.

Others need time to settle into a match.

The FA Cup rewards teams that can adapt quickly, especially in close games.

A side may dominate possession and still lose.

Another team might create only a few chances and take one of them.

That’s the cold reality of knockout football.

The Importance of Timing

Form at the start of a season doesn’t always matter by the time the later FA Cup rounds arrive.

Teams improve. Injuries happen. Managers change tactics.

That means the strongest team in August may not be the strongest team in April.

For that reason, early discussions about the FA Cup teams with a chance of going all the way should focus on capability rather than certainty.

Key Takeaways

• Manchester City: The 2026 champions enter the conversation after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final.
• Arsenal’s record: Arsenal remain the competition’s most successful club with 14 FA Cup wins.
• Manchester United: United’s 13 victories make them the second-most successful team in FA Cup history.
• Eight-win group: Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City each have eight FA Cup victories.
• The draw matters: The knockout format means even the strongest teams can face an early exit.

FAQs

Who are the strongest FA Cup teams historically?

Arsenal are the most successful team with 14 FA Cup wins, followed by Manchester United with 13.

Who won the FA Cup in 2026?

Manchester City won the 2026 FA Cup by beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final.

How many FA Cups have Manchester City won?

Manchester City have won eight FA Cups following their victory in the 2026 final.

Can a non-favourite win the FA Cup?

Yes, the knockout format means a team can build momentum and eliminate stronger opponents in individual matches.

Which team has won the most FA Cups?

Arsenal hold the record with 14 FA Cup victories.

Conclusion

Picking a winner before the tournament fully takes shape is never easy, and that’s exactly what makes the competition special. The FA Cup teams with a chance of going all the way include defending champions Manchester City, record winners Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and other clubs capable of putting together a strong knockout run.

History points toward the usual giants, but history also comes with a warning. The FA Cup doesn’t follow a script. The draw changes the route, pressure changes performances, and one match can end even the strongest team’s dream.

That’s why the race to Wembley remains one of English football’s most compelling stories.