That’s all from me! I’ll leave you with Suzanne Wrack’s match report from Wembley. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor tells BBC Sport: “It means a lot. I always say I want to make sure in every club I am manager that we have good values, the right values, and I want my players to really enjoy it. We worked hard all through the season. It was not easy and to achieve that, it will be part of history.”
The last 10 Women’s FA Cup winners
2024-25: Chelsea
2023-24: Manchester United
2022-23: Chelsea
2021-22: Chelsea
2020-21: Chelsea
2019-20: Manchester City
2018-19: Manchester City
2017-18: Chelsea
2016-17: Manchester City
2015-16: Arsenal
Chelsea forward Catarina Macario tells BBC Sport: “It’s a very emotional day. It’s a trophy we always wanted to win. We wanted to win a treble. It’s been a hard season for me personally, so it’s a special day to be at Wembley and to win means a lot.
“Playing for Chelsea, we want to win everything, every title. It is a lot of pressure any time that you play in a massive game like this but we have this winning mentality. We’ve been here before and we know what we have to do to win and that’s what we did today.”
Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert tells BBC Sport: “It tops off a brilliant season. I’m so proud of the group. A lot of hard work’s gone into this. To win in the fashion we did, we were holding on a bit at 1-0 but the second goal puts the game to bed.”
The moment all Chelsea fans have been waiting for… the trophy lift!
New Chelsea part-owner Alexis Ohanian watches on with pride as Millie Bright lifts the FA Cup trophy.
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Sonia Bompastor and her Chelsea players make their way up the iconic Wembley steps to the Royal Box as a bizarre remix of Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ and Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ blasts out from the speakers across the stadium.
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That winning moment.
They've done it 🤩@ChelseaFCW are our 2024-25 #AdobeWomensFACup winners 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mHmjlTBHgx
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) May 18, 2025
Chelsea have officially completed the domestic season without losing a single match. What an incredible achievement for the London club!
FULL-TIME: Chelsea 3-0 Manchester United
They’ve done it! Chelsea win the FA Cup! Chelsea win the domestic treble!
90+9 min: Terland receives the ball from Williams on the edge of the box and goes for goal, but fires her shot narrowly over the crossbar.
90+8 min: Chelsea are not stopping there! Charles picks up the ball on the left and plays it through the middle and across to Kaneryd, who sends a short pass to Nüsken in the middle of the box, but the midfielder is flagged offside.
90+4 min: With around just six minutes left to play, Sonia Bompastor makes a triple substitution. Hero of the hour Baltimore makes way for Guro Reiten, Cuthbert is replaced by Sjoeke Nüsken and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd is on to replace Lucy Bronze.
90+2 min: A terrible pass-back from Galton and some sloppy defending from Sandberg sees Kaptein steal the ball before crossing it into the box. Baltimore has plenty of time and space in the middle to take a touch before firing her shot past a helpless Tullis-Joyce. What a day it’s been for Chelsea’s No17.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Manchester United (Sandy Baltimore, 90+1)
Baltimore makes it three! That’s now two goals and an assist for the 25-year-old today!
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90+1 min: 10 minutes have been added on…
90 min: Baltimore is shown a yellow card for a pull-back on Malard.
88 min: United look to break away as Terland makes a run down the left before passing across goal to Malard, but the ball runs away from the forward and Chelsea can eventually make the clearance.
85 min: Chelsea have a free kick on the right and Baltimore steps up to take it. The France international sends a perfect cross into the box, putting it on a plate for Macario to get between Janssen and Le Tissier before heading the ball past Tullis-Joyce and into the top-right corner!
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United (Catarina Macario, 84)
Macario makes it two! Surely that’s game over!
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82 min: United make two more changes with Rachel Williams replacing Bizet and Miyazawa making way for Lisa Naalsund. It’s the last roll of the dice from Marc Skinner.
81 min: Goalkeeper time-out alert as Tullis-Joyce receives treatment from the United physios while Marc Skinner calls for a team talk. Just 10 minutes left to play.
77 min: Marc Skinner is quite literally scratching his head on the United bench. He needs to find a solution fast otherwise his team will end up suffering their second 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea in three years.
76 min: And Chelsea now make a change with Beever-Jones making way for 19-year-old Wieke Kaptein.
75 min: Another change for United as George is replaced by Anna Sandberg.
74 min: Macario carries the ball down the right before playing a low-driven cross to Baltimore in the box. The France international holds it up well with her back to goal before playing a short pass to Beever-Jones on the edge of the box. The attacker goes for the shot, but her wild effort flies way, way wide.
72 min: George is booked for a very heavy challenge on Beever-Jones.
71 min: United appeal for a penalty as Terland goes to ground following a collision with Hampton. Both the referee and VAR dismiss it. Replays then show that Hampton won the ball. A very quick and simple VAR check.
70 min: Another change for United – and this time it’s an attacking one. Mannion is replaced by Melvine Malard, who will likely play as a wing-back.
68 min: Galton is back on for United, but she looks very uncomfortable. She might not be able to see out the rest of this match.
65 min: Oooof – that was a close one. Charles sends a cross towards the back post but the ball deflects off George and almost drops into the Manchester United net! Instead, it brushes past the outside of the post. That was a real heart-in-mouth moment for United fans!
63 min: During the break in play, Chelsea make a substitution as Ramírez makes way for Catarina Macario in attack.
62 min: There’s some concern for Manchester United now as Galton is down and in some discomfort. The winger appears to have an issue with her ribs having landed awkwardly following a tussle with Bronze. She is being treated by the club physios.
60 min: Baltimore sends a fantastic cross-field pass to Bronze, who looks to cross the ball into the box. Janssen attempts to head it clear but only gets the ball as far as Bronze. Luckily for United, the full-back completely misses her follow-up shot.
59 min: Once again, this has been a positive start from United, but they need to start making the most of their chances, especially if Chelsea are going to grow into the half like they did previously.
56 min: Clinton turns Cuthbert and looks to break forward from midfield, forcing a foul from the Chelsea star who is then shown a yellow card.
54 min: Bizet is booked for a shirt pull on Cuthbert in midfield.
53 min: Toone gets her first shot away with a volley just inside the box, forcing a relatively simple save from Hampton down the middle.
51 min: Baltimore sends the free kick into the box. It flies towards Charles at the back post, but the defender can’t get the right contact on the ball. Manchester United quickly win it back and go for the counter attack, but Girma makes a great recovery run to break down play.
50 min: Galton is booked for a foul on Bronze and Chelsea have a free kick deep in the United half.
48 min: United have a free kick in a dangerous area following a foul on Terland from Bright. It is played short, but the FA Cup holders fail to get the ball into the box and Chelsea can eventually clear with ease.
47 min: Chance for United as Mannion sends a dangerous cross into the box. Terland is there to head the ball towards goal, but Hampton can make the save. A positive start for Marc Skinner’s side.
46 min: Manchester United made one change at the break with Ella Toone replacing Turner. As a result, Janssen has moved back into defence.
KICK-OFF: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
We’re back under way at Wembley!
Ella Toone looks like she is preparing to come on for Manchester United. She loves a goal at Wembley – can she be the player to equalise?
If you’re loving our women’s football coverage then be sure to subscribe to our Moving the Goalposts newsletter before the second half starts. You’ll receive weekly features and updates – all for free!
Here is a look at that cool and composed penalty from Baltimore…
Deadlock broken 🔓
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) May 18, 2025
Sandy Baltimore sends Tullis-Joyce the wrong way from the spot to give @ChelseaFCW the opener late in the first-half 🔵#AdobeWomensFACup pic.twitter.com/bA1JvL9sEM
Our understanding is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not here at Wembley this afternoon, which will be disappointing for a lot of Manchester United fans, although the club do have a lot of senior representatives in the stadium including Omar Berrada, the chief executive, and Jason Wilcox amongst others.
Sandy Baltimore’s late penalty has given Chelsea the advantage going into the second half. The Blues grew into the game after being on the back foot in the opening stages and took the advantage at a crucial moment. It’s still all to play for, however.
HALF-TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
It’s advantage Chelsea in this FA Cup final!
45+5 min: Manchester United have a free-kick inside the Chelsea half. The ball is sent straight into the box and Clinton goes for the header, but collides with Cuthbert in the process and Chelsea win a foul.
45+3 min: Manchester United fans have almost gone silent in the east end of the stadium. Conceding on the brink of half-time is a huge blow.
45+1 min: Five minutes have been added on…
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United (Sandy Baltimore, 45)
Baltimore converts the penalty, sending Tullis-Joyce the wrong way before slotting the ball calmly into the bottom-left corner!
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PENALTY CHELSEA!
Bizet sticks a leg out and Cuthbert goes to ground in the box! The referee does not hesitate when awarding the spot kick. This won’t be overturned. A clumsy challenge from the United winger.
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41 min: Just under five minutes to go until half-time here at Wembley… Will we see a goal before the break?
38 min: There are some appeals for a Manchester United penalty as Bizet goes to ground just inside the box after colliding with Charles, but the referee instead awards a free kick to Chelsea for a handball – likely as a result of the United player falling onto the ball and it making contact with her arm.
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37 min: Beever-Jones receives the ball from Cuthbert on the edge of the box before turning and going for a curling shot towards the top-right corner, but Tullis-Joyce reads it well and can make the save relatively comfortably.
36 min: Chelsea have a corner. Baltimore steps up to take it and sends a cross towards the near post, but George is there to head it clear.
34 min: Clinton wins a free kick after being somewhat sandwiched between Bronze and Walsh in midfield. The ball is sent into the Chelsea box, but nothing comes of the set piece and the Blues look to break away.
31 min: There is a quick break in play while Bizet receives some treatment for a knock.
30 min: Manchester United dominated the early stages of this match, but Chelsea have certainly become more of a threat in the last 10 minutes or so. Nevertheless, United have shown some good strength in their defending to keep the Blues at bay.
28 min: Another chance for Chelsea as Baltimore receives a pass from Charles before turning away from Janssen and making her way towards the edge of the box. She goes for the shot, but drags her effort wide.
25 min: Chelsea have a corner and the ball is sent straight into the box, but Tullis-Joyce gets there and punches clear before anyone can attempt to go for goal.
24 min: Charles is holding her shoulder after colliding with Bizet and winning a foul. She looks like she will be able to play on, though.
21 min: Tullis-Joyce is forced into another fantastic save! A ball is sent over the Manchester United defence and through to Ramírez on the left, who outmuscles Le Tissier before bringing it down with a perfect touch. She makes her way into the box and perhaps takes a few too many touches before flicking her shot towards the target. Bronze makes a run into the six-yard box to be there for the rebound but Tullis-Joyce gets down to steer it out of the full-back’s path.
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19 min: A huge chance for United now! Terland is sent on a run down the right before crossing the ball into the box. Charles stretches out in an attempt to deflect the ball away, but instead sends it straight to the feet on Janssen, who blasts her shot over the crossbar! Marc Skinner is in disbelief over on the bench!
16 min: Huge chance for Chelsea! Beever-Jones skips past Turner with ease before making her way into the box. She goes for the shot, but her effort takes a deflection off a sliding Turner and Tullis-Joyce is forced into a great save.
15 min: Ramírez manages to pass the ball through the legs of George to Beever-Jones on the right, who looks to cross. The ball flies into a dangerous area but Le Tissier is there to head it clear.
12 min: George makes a fantastic tackle on Bronze to stop a Chelsea breakaway on the right. The Blues have really struggled to get past the United defence so far.
10 min: Chelsea start to press forward and Ramírez looks to make a cross, but her attempted pass flies behind for a goal kick.
9 min: This has been a brilliant start from Manchester United. Marc Skinner’s side are really piling on the pressure in these early stages. Meanwhile, Chelsea haven’t had a look-in just yet.
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7 min: Manchester United have another corner, but this time Clinton’s cross flies over everyone in the box and runs out for a throw-in on the opposite side of the pitch.
6 min: Clinton steps up to take the corner and puts the ball into a dangerous area, forcing Hampton into a tricky save.
5 min: United get the first shot away as Clinton goes for goal from the edge of the box. Her effort takes a deflection before going behind for a corner.
3 min: Mannion plays a clever pass through to Terland, who taps the ball short to Bizet. The winger then looks to make the cross, but her effort is cut out by Girma.
1 min: Bizet wins the ball from Cuthbert in midfield and United look to move forward. A pass is played out to George on the left, who attempts to float a cross into the box, but the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
KICK-OFF
Here we go! We’re under way at Wembley!
Tennis legend Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian – who has just purchased a 10% stake in Chelsea Women – are both at Wembley today.
Olly Murs is now performing on a stage in the centre circle, as flamethrowers shoot into the air around him. Apparently he just wants us to dance with him tonight.
The teams are out! The atmosphere at Wembley Stadium is absolutely electric! Kick-off is just a few minutes away!
Some of you may be wondering if VAR will be in use this afternoon. And the answer to that would be… yes. For just the third time in the competition’s history, VAR will be used in the Women’s FA Cup final.
Mitre Golden Ball award
Preston North End forward Madison Hadley is set to win the Mitre Golden Ball award this afternoon. The award is handed to the player with the most goals scored in an FA Cup campaign. Hadley managed 11 goals in the competition this term. The top scorers from the two remaining teams are; Celin Bizet (4), Ella Toone (3) and Aggie Beever-Jones (2).
Hadley will carry the match ball out onto the pitch ahead of the match after receiving her award from Hope Powell.
Ahead of today’s match, Manchester United manager Marc Skinner said: “Results-wise, Chelsea are the best team and the hardest team to come up against. If you know anything about us, we are rebels and we don’t like just accepting this is the case. I am a rebel, my nature is rebellious so for me, it is about not accepting that just because they have the best resources, they have to be the best team on every occasion.
“When you set yourself up for that challenge and you know you will have to go through hell to get the victory, if you prepare for that, then I believe you can do something special.”
Marc Skinner has arrived looking for more #AdobeWomensFACup glory with @ManUtdWomen 🏆 pic.twitter.com/G0atngiehR
— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) May 18, 2025
Sonia Bompastor is aiming to become the first non-British manager to win the Women’s FA Cup since Pedro Martínez Losa in 2016. Martínez Losa won the trophy with Arsenal against Chelsea nine years ago. Danielle Carter scored the decisive goal in that game with a fantastic curled effort into the top-right corner to see the Gunners claim their 14th title.
Ahead of today’s match, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said: “We started the season with a lot of ambition. From the beginning, we said we wanted to win four trophies, and that’s always been the aim. Going into this last game, and last week of training sessions, we’ve kept the same high standards. We want to work hard on the pitch to succeed until the end.
“It will mean a lot for me to coach at Wembley. It’s such a historic stadium and part of English history. I didn’t have a great result there in my playing career, but I hope it will be different on Sunday. I’ve watched the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium before when it’s been full, and it’s just incredible to see all the atmosphere around the final. We must anticipate this as a big, big thing on Sunday.”
The Manchester United defender Gabby George will today banish the memories of missing two FA Cup finals because of two separate anterior cruciate ligament injuries, as she fulfils a childhood dream of playing for Manchester United at Wembley.
The lifelong United fan did play an FA Cup final for Everton in 2014 at Stadium:MK as a teenager but then missed Everton’s 2020 FA Cup final appearance because of an ACL and then again had to watch on from the stands due to another injury last season, when Marc Skinner’s side won the cup.
“The second time was tougher because we actually won it,” George recalls. “The club made me feel part of the day but you can never change the feeling of wanting to help the team. I was still buzzing because I was there when we won our first major trophy - as a Manchester United fan growing up, that’s what dreams are made of - but I had moments like when they walked up the stairs where I was just watching it and it was tough. It’s bittersweet isn’t it, but we’ve got another opportunity to do it. It’s third-time lucky for me.”
After a year out, George returned to this side and cemented her place at the start of this season and adds: “My aim when I returned was to enjoy football and that’s what I’ve done this season. The squad has made that so much easier. They’re good people. We all stick together through tough times and good times.
“The 10-year-old Gabby would be absolutely screaming, over the moon. I’m a Man Utd fan living my dream every single day. I’m lucky that I get to do that. It’s surreal to be here and achieve things that 10-year-old Gabby would have wanted.”
Tom Garry also travelled over to Guernsey to speak to Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier and those who know her best.
Chelsea’s road to the final:
R4: Chelsea 4-0 Charlton
R5: Chelsea 4-1 Everton
QF: Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace
SF: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Sonia Bompastor insists today’s final will be “50-50” between her Chelsea team and Manchester United.
Manchester United’s road to the final:
R4: Manchester United 7-0 West Brom
R5: Wolves 0-6 Manchester United
QF: Manchester United 3-1 Sunderland
SF: Manchester City 0-2 Manchester United
Ahead of today’s final, our very own Tom Garry sat down with Manchester United manager Marc Skinner to discuss the club’s season and this afternoon’s match at Wembley.
In what may come as quite a shock to some fans, Ella Toone starts on the bench for Manchester United. The midfielder scored a stunning goal for United in last year’s final against Tottenham, but she misses out on a place in Marc Skinner’s starting XI this time around. Likely a tactical decision from the manager.
Team news
Chelsea starting line-up: Hannah Hampton; Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright (C), Nathalie Björn, Naomi Girma, Niamh Charles; Keira Walsh, Erin Cuthbert; Aggie Beever-Jones, Mayra Ramírez, Sandy Baltimore. Substitutes: Becky Spencer, Sjoeke Nüsken, Catarina Macario, Guro Reiten, Ashley Lawrence, Wieke Kaptein, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Maika Hamano, Oriane Jean-François.
Your Chelsea XI for the final. 👊#CFCW pic.twitter.com/fr2ObLboqF
— (C)helsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) May 18, 2025
Manchester United starting line-up: Phallon Tullis-Joyce; Gabby George, Maya Le Tissier (C), Millie Turner, Aoife Mannion; Dominique Janssen, Hinata Miyazawa, Grace Clinton; Leah Galton, Elisabeth Terland, Celin Bizet. Substitutes: Safia Middleton-Patel, Kayla Rendell, Anna Sandberg, Simi Awujo, Lisa Naalsund, Ella Toone, Mared Griffiths, Melvine Malard, Rachel Williams.
Your #WomensFACup final Reds ❤️🔥
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) May 18, 2025
Let's retain that trophy 😤#MUWomen
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Now it’s time for Manchester United to check out the pitch…
ABBA songs are blasting into the skies from the fan zone, families are enjoying picnics under these cloudy skies and the atmosphere is all very calm. Not a hint of crowd trouble, as you’d expect. Off to the right of Olympic Way, a gathering of United fans are dancing to a club remix of Sweet Caroline. Can you believe we didn’t even make it to midday without hearing that tune? Both sets of fans sound confident they’ll win.
Chelsea have arrived at Wembley!
I want to hear from you! Feel free to email me with any score predictions, feelings, thoughts and all that jazz. Are you off to Wembley today? If so, who will you be supporting? Also, I’m keen to know your thoughts on the new WSL and WSL2 rebranding as that seems to have caused quite a stir this week…
After 10 years of Wembley Women’s FA Cup finals we have a sell-out crowd, and the approximately 90,000 fans are in for a treat. Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea are the favourites, unbeaten domestically and bidding for a domestic treble after securing the League Cup and WSL title. However, despite 13 wins in their last 15 games against Manchester United, their dominance is far from certain. This is a different United to the team that suffered a 1-0 loss to the Blues at Wembley two years ago. Marc Skinner’s side are more streetwise and, having knocked out Chelsea on the way to a final and first FA Cup title last season, they understand the occasion and what winning looks and feels like. What to expect? United have the ability to shock Chelsea, but even when not at their best performance-wise this season the Blues have had a plan B or plan C and turned out result after result.
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Preamble
Hello, good afternoon and welcome to coverage of the Women’s FA Cup final! Chelsea face Manchester United in front of a capacity Wembley Stadium crowd in what promises to be a fantastic end to the domestic season.
The Blues go into this match with their sights firmly set on achieving a treble having already won the WSL and the League Cup. Meanwhile, United are looking to retain the FA Cup trophy having won it last season with a dominant 4-0 victory over Tottenham.
These two sides last met at Wembley two years ago, when Chelsea clinched a 1-0 win thanks to Sam Kerr, who will not be available this time around. However, Marc Skinner and his team have more experience behind them now and will feel they can go toe-to-toe with the WSL invincibles.
Kick-off is at 1:30pm BST - you won’t want to miss it!
