A ruthless Manchester City won the Women’s FA Cup for a fourth time and completed the Double as they eventually coasted to a 4-0 win over Brighton, as Khadija Shaw celebrated signing her new contract with a Wembley goal.
Shaw and her City teammates provided Brighton with a harsh lesson on the importance of taking your chances in a final, with Albion having looked the stronger side for large parts of the game but having lacked the clinical edge in the final third that the league champions demonstrated after riding out some pressure.
Shaw, who had been expected to leave the club this summer on a free transfer before performing a dramatic U-turn to sign a lucrative new contract on Monday, nodded her team in front at Wembley, before Alex Greenwood’s fine free-kick, Aoba Fujino’s deflected effort and Vivianne Miedema’s angled header enabled City to lift the cup for the first time since 2020, and for the first time with spectators permitted inside the stadium for seven years, as their most recent FA Cup triumph had been staged behind closed doors.
Now it’s the turn of the Manchester City players to walk up and receive their medals. They are England’s best team, with nary a scintilla of doubt, and they have made history by doing the Double for the first time.
The Brighton players walk up to collect their medals. It looks like a hammering but it wasn’t really, and they are going places under Dario Vidosic.
Bunny Shaw's verdict
It’s been a crazy few weeks, lots of emotions: signing a contract, to be here winning the FA Cup. The last time I was at Wembley I lost so I wanted to correct that today.
In the first half I said to [Lauren Hemp], ‘They are poppin’ it!’ We didn’t know what to do in the first 20 minutes, and then we had a break and said, ‘Let them keep it at the back’ and try to go man for man, and that worked.
[On her new contract] It’s been a long couple of months. If I’m being honest it’s been very difficult, but I always wanted to be here and we got it done – I’m happy about that.
I’m hard on myself. Sometimes the girls say I’m too hard on myself, but I watch my clips and I try to relive actions in training.
[On her goal] As the ball was coming across she said ‘Keeper!’ early. I just wanted to get to the ball and whatever happens happens, and it ended up in the net. That momentum shift happened at the right time.
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Alex Greenwood's reaction
Incredible. What a season, what a way to end the season. We had a period between winning the league and now, and we enjoyed ourselves, but today was about what champions do: win again and again and again. I’m really proud of the team.
I hadn’t scored a single goal this season; it’s been a bit annoying to be honest. When she gave the free-kick, I thought ‘Okay, you’ve practised all season, at least do something about it.’ Thank god it went in the back of the net.
I don’t think we played very well in the first half to be honest. Brighton started the game really well. We didn’t concede a goal and we know how to change the momentum of a game. We have incredible individuals who can take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Manchester City have won all three FA Cups this season, women’s, men’s and youth’s.
Manchester City win the FA Cup!
Full time: Brighton 0-4 Manchester City Manchester City Women have done the Double for the first time!They hammered Brighton in the end, and though the scoreline is flattering, nobody can dispute their status as England’s best team. Andree Jeglertz has worked wonders in his first season at the club.
Brighton were the better team for most of the first half, but Bunny Shaw’s 38th-minute goal changed everything. Alex Greenwood scored a crucial second just before the break, and the substitutes Aoba Fujino and Vivianne Miedema completed a thumping victory.
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90+2 min Brighton almost score a consolation when the indefatigable Haley’s shot is kicked away by Yamashita.
90+1 min Four minutes of added time.
90 min Greenwood made the first goal, scored the second and defended immaculately. She’s just a class act.
89 min The Manchester City fans give a resounding roar of approval as Alex Greenwood is named as the player of the match.
88 min: Brighton substitution Rebecca Rayner replaces Maisie Symonds.
GOAL! Brighton 0-4 Man City (Miedema 87)
Vivianne Miedema sprays the icing on the cake. She started the move with a superb pass out to Casparij on the right, then ran 50 yards to meet Casparij’s cross and power a downward header through the diving Nnadozie. A lovely goal, and a poignant moment for Miedema in the context of her mum’s poor health.
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85 min: City substitution Laura Coombs, who will retire after this game, replaces the magnificent Bunny Shaw.
84 min The next corner eventually leads to Rose hooking a volley onto the roof of the net. Nnadozie had it covered.
83 min The resulting corner is half cleared, back to the taker Greenwood. She pushes the ball back to Fujino, whose whipped shot is brilliantly saved at the near post by Nnadozie.
82 min Bunny Shaw almost gets her second, and City’s fourth, with a shot that is tipped over by Nnadozie. Superb save, that, the best of the match.
79 min: Double substitution for Brighton Nadine Noordan and Rachel McLauchlan replace Fran Kirby and Marisa Olislagers
78 min The attendance of 43,917 is a little bit lower than what the organisers had hoped for. It is still the seventh-highest attendance in this competition’s history and almost ten times larger than the turnout this showpiece fixture attracted merely 13 years ago, but a number closer to 50,000 had been anticipated.
77 min: Double substitution for City Sydney Lohmann and Mary Fowler come on for Lauren Hemp and Laura Blindkilde Brown.
77 min The official attendance is 43,917.
76 min Time for a drinks break.
75 min Caspirik leaned into Haley but not with enough force for it to be a clear and obvious error. I’m not even sure it was a foul.
74 min Brighton appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Haley goes down in the area. It’ll be checked by VAR.
71 min: Double substitution for Brighton Maelys Mpome and Rosa Kafaji replace Kiko eike and Charlize Rule.
70 min A terrific cross from Symonds is headed high and wide by the off-balance Vanegas. Brighton have played really well today, whatever the scoreline says.
68 min The scoreline feels really harsh on Brighton, but champions are clinical and City have exemplified that.
Shaw got away from Hayes on the left and slid a low pass into Miedema. She allowed it to run across to Fujino, who skipped back on her left foot and hit a deflected shot past Nnadozie.
GOAL! Brighton 0-3 Man City (Fujino 66)
Manchester City have done the Double for the first time!
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65 min: Chance for City! Greenwood’s outswinging corner from the left is headed across goal and wide by Knapp. Once she got there it was a pretty good chance.
63 min Seike runs at Greenwood and drills a shot from the angle that is held by Yamashita.
62 min: Man City substitutions Aoba Fujino and the great Vivianne Miedema, who has been on compassionate leave, replace Grace Clinton and Kerolin.
60 min Olislagers pings a shot from the edge of the D that is well blocked by the outrushing Blindkilde Brown.
59 min After good play from Clinton, Kerolin shoots tamely at Nnadozie.
57 min Shaw tries a reverse pass to Hemp in the area; Brighton cut it out.
53 min After a good Brighton move, Knack barges Haley to the floor and is booked. Brighton remain bushy-tailed despite the scoreline.
51 min Kerolin beats Vanegas on the right and clips a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Hemp retreives the loose ball, fouling Rule in the process, and shoots just wide. It wouldn’t have counted.
49 min Brighton are up against it but they don’t look a beaten team and have started the second half pretty well. Trouble is City have a two-goal cushion and an extremely competent defence.
48 min “That’s Celtic won the Women’s Scottish Cup btw,” writes James Humphries. “The more things change, etc.”
46 min Peep peep! Brighton get the second half under way.
Half-time reading
Every player in the Brighton wall seemed to be expecting Kerolin to take that free-kick. Instead, Greenwood’s effort with her left was placed perfectly into the corner and Brighton will be kicking themselves. They’ve been the stronger team for most of the half but they go in at the break 2-0 down. Don’t forget, they were also 2-0 down in their semi-final away against Liverpool...
Half time: Brighton 0-2 Manchester City
Brighton have been the better team; City have been the more clinical and lead through goals from Bunny Shaw and Alex Greenwood.
Shaw was fouled in the D by Symonds. After much consideration, Greenwood curled a precise free-kick into the bottom-right corner. I’m not sure about the wall, which left a big gap, and the ball went under the diving Nnadozie, but City are 2-0 up and in control.
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GOAL! Brighton 0-2 Man City (Greenwood 45+6)
Manchester City are on course for their first Double!
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45+5 min Hayes loses the ball in a dangerous area to Kerolin, who faffs around on the edge of the area and is eventually dispossessed. That was half a chance for City.
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45+1 min There will be seven minutes of added time: drinks break + Yamashita injury + other stuff.
45 min After a neat move from Brighton, Vanegas mishits a shot from the edge of the area that is easily saved by Yamashita.
The goal hasn’t really affected Brighton, who are dominating possession as we approach half-time. They’re such an impressive team.
42 min Brighton probably need half-time to regroup. They’ve been the better team for most of the first half and are certainly not out of this.
They’re also the only team to come from behind to beat or even draw with City this season.
39 min Brighton momentarily seemed to be asking for a free-kick for a foul on the goalkeeper but I don’t think there was anything wrong with what Shaw did there. She simply outjumps Nnadozie. It was a lethal cross from Greenwood and that’s the first genuine moment of quality from Manchester City.
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Hemp collects the ball on the left and finds Greenwood, who swings a typically precise cross to the far post. Nnadozie comes for it but Shaw gets there first to score with a gentle looping header. It’s a goalkeeping error, sad to say, but the next chapter of Bunny Shaw’s City career has begun in style.
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GOAL! Brighton 0-1 Man City (Shaw 38)
Now the scoreline has changed!
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37 min Lots of City possession now. The scoreline is the same but the mood of the match has done a 180.
36 min City have woken up. Hemp gets to the byline and picks out Shaw, whose instinctive sidefoot is comfortably saved by Nnadozie.
35 min Shaw loses her marker neatly and eases a short pass into Clinton, whose low shot from the edge of the area is comfortably saved by Nnadozie.
33 min Hasegawa strolls forward and plays a dangerous through ball towards Shaw that is crucially cut out by the last defender Hayes. That’s probably City’s most promising move of the game.
31 min Anyone out there?
28 min Brighton have had six shots on goal to City’s one. David rarely starts this well against Goliath.
27 min: Big chance for Kirby!
Hasegawa is dispossessed just outside the area by Cankovic (I think), who plays a quick pass into Kirby. She tries to go round the outrushing keeper Yamashita, who makes a fine sliding tackle, and Seike lashes the bouncing ball over the bar. Kirby’s was the big chance.
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26 min Kirby’s angled through ball is just behind Olislagers, who made an excellent run into the area. That was a chance, certainly for a player of Kirby’s class.
25 min Aaaaaaaaaaaand we’re back.
23 min It’s a hot day at Wembley, so it’s time for the players to enjoy a Strathmore chaser. Other hydration options are etc.
22 min A promising Brighton break ends with a wayward long-range shot from Symonds. Not a great decision but they are causing City a lot of problems.
21 min Possession watch: Brighton 62-38 Man City.
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19 min Symonds plays a smooth one-two with Cankovic and has a shot from the edge of the area that is blocked by Rose. Brighton have been superb so far.
17 min Nnadozie fumbles a loose ball in the area but is able to grab it in front of Kerolin.
16 min After a few minutes’ treatment, Yamashita is okay to continue.
12 min: Greenwood clears off the line!
Rose leaves the ball for the keeper Yamashita, not aware that Haley is right behind her. There’s a collision between the two, and Yamashita stays down. Play continues, a bit surprisingly, and Olislagers’ shot is cleared off the line by Greenwood. That’s outstanding defending because it looked like play would stop when Yamashita was injured.
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11 min What a quiet start from Manchester City. They can’t grab hold of the ball at the moment. Their fans are near silent.
9 min Nothing much to report, except that Brighton are treating City as equals and their coach Dario Vidosic will be delighted with how they’ve started.
All of the noise is coming from the Brighton fans so far. I can see a few dressed as Seagulls! It must be hot under a costume like that, fair play...
There are some visible lines across the pitch, after the Challenge Cup final, which saw Wigan beat Hull KR here on this same ground yesterday. I understand the grounds staff worked tirelessly to try and colour-correct the pitch again, and most of the markings have been able to disappear, but it was just so hot and dry yesterday that the black lines have proved too stubborn to remove in time. Maybe they’ll helped the assistant referees out when it comes to offside calls, let’s see...
5 min Seike keeps the ball in play near the byline and cuts it back to Kirby, whose shot is excellently blocked by Rose. Brighton have started with the bravery their manager wanted.
3 min A quiet start. I feel like I write that in every MBM, but it’s the truth.
1 min Peep peep! Manchester City, in their black change strip, kick off from left to right as we watch.
The players walk out of the tunnel and into the sunshine of a gorgeous afternoon at Wembley. It’s time for the 2026 FA Cup final.
Andree Jeglertz talks to TNT Sports
[On City’s successful season] We had the players, we have the club behind us. When you haven’t won for a couple of years you almost need to build the trust that you are able to win important games. That’s maybe the biggest thing.
[On Bunny Shaw’s contract extension] She has delivered for many years for this club so we are very happy that she really, really wants to continue the journey with us.
[On Brighton] They’re a very good team, we have been challenged in both league games. They have a lot of tactical flexibility; they are pretty brave; they are very strong when they end up close to our goal, so for us it’s about finding ways not to get stuck in the game they want to play.
Dario Vidosic’s pre-match thoughts
We’re really excited. There’s always a hint of jealousy when you’re watching this game at home; it’s a great opportunity and the girls deserve this chance.
It’s that old saying: pressure is a privilege. We have the opportunity to be the first team, male or female, to win a major trophy for the club.
We take some encouragement from the league games. Today’s all about us being brave; we know we have to be better than in the first 20-30 minutes against City. Nerves got the better of us that day.
We know we have to be good in all phases of play. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves an excellent chance.
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Brighton came from behind to beat City 3-2 in the WSL last month, a result that should give them plenty of confidence going into this game.
They’ve picked the same XI today. City have one change: Grace Clinton for Aoba Fujino. The goalkeeper Khiara Keating was injured in training and is not part of the squad.
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Team news
Brighton (4-4-1-1) Nnadozie; Rule, Hayes, Minami, Vanegas; Seike, Symonds, Cankovic, Olislagers; Kirby; Haley.
Subs: McLauchlan, Camacho, Tvedten, Kafaji, Rayner, Baggaley, Mpome, Noordam, Tsunoda.
Man City (4-2-3-1) Yamashita; Casaparij, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood; Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa; Kerolin, Clinton, Hemp; Shaw.
Subs: Cumings, Coombs, Fowler, Miedema, Ouahabi, Fujino, Lohmann, Prior, Murphy.
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City’s route to the final
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Bournemouth (A) 6-0
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Sheffield United (H) 4-0
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Birmingham (A) 1-0
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Chelsea (A) 3-2
Brighton’s route to the final
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Nottingham Forest (H) 2-0
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West Ham (A) 2-1
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Arsenal (A) 2-0
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Liverpool (A) 3-2
The victory at Arsenal was one for the books, but they can top it today.
Growing up in Brisbane with a big time difference to London, Dario Vidosic loved being allowed to stay up past his bedtime to watch a big Wembley final on television next to his father, Rado, before trying to recreate a great goal with him in the garden the following day.
On Sunday, Rado will not only be in the Vidosic family’s thoughts but in the hearts and minds of everyone associated with Brighton as the team walk out at Wembley for the Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester City to try to win their first major trophy, four months after Rado – who was working as the women’s team’s head of coaching – died from cancer.
Secure your first league title for a decade? Tick. Extend your golden boot-winning striker’s contract. Tick. Lift a first Women’s FA Cup since 2020? Pending. May 2026 has gone swimmingly for Manchester City and they are hoping it will get even better.
Once you get that sweet taste of long-awaited success, you want more, and coaches will tell you it is not reaching the top that is the hardest part, but staying there. Keeping hold of your best players is job No 1 in that regard, so persuading Khadija “Bunny” Shaw to perform a remarkable U-turn and stay for another four years was vital.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the FA Cup final between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City. There’s no narrative ambiguity today: either City, the best team in the country, will do the double for the first time, or Brighton will win their first major trophy. Whatever the result, it’ll be historic.
Kick off 3pm.
