Robert Sanchez being back is huge plus for Chelsea, this man has real clutch value for us.
— JnR (@CFCJnR) May 14, 2026
Feel safe with him in the final, he's definitely going to come up with a big save in the game.
Leadership at the back underrated too.pic.twitter.com/pjS2OxFEcO
Chelsea faces Manchester City in the 2026 Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, May 16, marking a historic matchup between two of the competition's most successful recent sides. Key statistics since 2016/17 highlight City's 45 wins and 159 goals against Chelsea's 37 wins and 111 goals, promising a high-stakes clash.
Key 2026 FA Cup Final Facts:
The match is expected to be a competitive battle between two top-tier English clubs.
As Chelsea prepares for the 2026 FA Cup final this Saturday at Wembley, interim manager Calum McFarlane faces the challenge of overcoming Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, a feat last accomplished consistently by former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
Following the 2021 Champions League victory, Tuchel told TNT Sports (via social media) that the goal was to "be a stone in their shoe" and encourage players to "step up and step out, to be more brave and create dangerous counter-attacks" [original context].
McFarlane, having steered the team to a semifinal win, aims to utilize a similar tactical discipline to secure silverware in this weekend’s final.
Joao Pedro has achieved a major milestone in his debut season at Chelsea, scoring his 20th goal in all competitions. The Brazilian forward reached this total with an acrobatic effort against Nottingham Forest, solidifying his spot among elite company.
Chelsea Players with 20+ Goals in a Single Season (Premier League Era):
Several elite strikers and attackers have reached this mark, including legends like Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Eden Hazard, as well as recent additions like Cole Palmer.
Pedro’s milestone underscores his impact on the team, particularly with his ability to create and finish opportunities from open play during a challenging season for the club.
Chelsea's interim manager Calum McFarlane insisted his players proved to their army of critics that they have character after beating Leeds United to set up an FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City.
McFarlane, 38, replaced the sacked Liam Rosenior on Wednesday after the Blues had suffered five successive league losses without scoring for the first time since 1912. That particular performance at the Amex Stadium led to accusations that the changing room was not playing for Rosenior.
Yet Enzo Fernandez, wearing the captain's armband against Leeds, headed home the game's only goal to ensure a return to Wembley next month in what could save Chelsea's otherwise substandard season.
'I thought our character, our fight and our drive was brilliant,' McFarlane said.
'We speak tactically a lot but tactics go out at the window at times and I thought the fight, winning second balls, headers, defending set-pieces – the character of the group was exceptional.
'That's been questioned a lot. And rightly so at times, maybe, but that is us at our best and we have to show that level as often as we can. This group is massively capable of that.'
McFarlane also described this victory as a 'dream', given he does not yet hold an UEFA Pro Licence and was managing only his third-ever senior match. He previously acted as Chelsea's interim for two games in January - a draw with City and a defeat at Fulham - when he temporarily bridged the gap between Enzo Maresca leaving and Rosenior arriving.
Expanding on his players being told they lacked character – including the accusations that they earned Rosenior the sack after only 106 days in charge - McFarlane continued: 'I wouldn't question their character. Their character has been questioned because of results.
'We're playing top teams, you get into a rut, momentum is so important. We've seen it with the best team in the world. People are too reactive to the result.
'That group has got massive character. You don't beat PSG in the Club World Cup, Barcelona in the Champions League, and loads of other games… the character shouldn't be questioned. I understand why, but there's a lot of mentality, winners in that changing room. I'm really happy we could show that today.'
“The bigger the game, the tougher the opponent and the circumstances, the more they seem to raise their level.” 🤝
“The bigger the game, the tougher the opponent and the circumstances, the more they seem to raise their level.” 🤝
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 26, 2026
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane on the run-in and the upcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City.
📺 Watch live on TNT Sports and HBO Max pic.twitter.com/yDYPBWg4m1
“We had a tough week, now this is a good win for us to move forward.” 🤝
“We had a tough week, now this is a good win for us to move forward.” 🤝
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 26, 2026
Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez react after the win for Chelsea.
📺 Watch on TNT Sports and HBO Max pic.twitter.com/GlJaBtVmMf
Robert Sanchez labelled Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds as ‘massive’, with the Blues goalkeeper hopeful that we can end the season having lifted a trophy at Wembley.
And after securing a place at the showpiece event on May 16, where we’ll meet Manchester City for the first time in an FA Cup final, Sanchez believes this result and performance can be a platform for the Blues to build upon with five huge games remaining in the season.
‘Today was massive,’ the goalkeeper said. ‘After a tough season with a lot of changes, if we can go into the summer with a trophy, it will be amazing. We need to keep going for the next few weeks, and it will give us a positive boost.
‘We got the win and the way we were thinking before the game is that it’s a chance to get to another final, and we wanted to do that.’
As our shot-stopper, the 28-year-old inevitably pointed to the importance of our clean sheet. But he also highlighted the work of our defenders in making his job easier.
‘A clean sheet and a win – it’s massive,’ he continued. ‘There were a couple of good saves, but it doesn’t come from just me. There were a couple of blocks from our defenders; they kept heading the ball away and fighting for each other, as I said. We scored the early goal, and we defended well.
‘I remember from the start of the season we kept nine or ten clean sheets in 15 games, so I think it’s good to get back into a positive mood with another clean sheet. Now we have five games to go, and we’ll do our best.’
After a disappointing defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League midweek, Sanchez was pleased to be able to give the supporters a moment to remember too.
‘We reacted very well,’ he said. ‘We know that now it’s on us to perform well, to try to get to a final and win a final. If we perform like today, we know it’s possible to do all that. The supporters were brilliant today.’
After Chelsea booked a place in this season’s FA Cup final by overcoming Leeds United, Calum McFarlane explained why it was a vital result to hit the reset button on our recent form going into the last few games of the season, which now includes a return trip to Wembley.
McFarlane was back in the Chelsea dugout for this big game at Wembley as interim head coach, a role he will fulfil until the end of the season. Speaking after securing our progress in the FA Cup, he explained why this could be a crucial win for the Blues, beyond the obvious motivation of a final now to come.
‘It was important to get the win,’ he said. ‘I'm not sure if that’s in relation to having an FA Cup final or a carrot to look forward to, I think it was important to break the momentum and the form that we were in.
‘We spoke in the lead up to the game, that we've got a minimum of five games left, potentially six if we win against Leeds, and that it's tough in this moment when you've been on a losing run, but one moment, one result, one performance can change that.
‘That's what we've been going after in terms of shifting the momentum in the group. I did reinforce that at the end of today’s game, but it goes without saying, we're at Chelsea Football Club, we need to try and win every game. So that is our target from now until the end of the season.’
McFarlane and the Blues now have five games remaining of this season, with four fixtures left in the race for European qualification in the Premier League, in addition to our return to Wembley on 16 May to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
‘We want to win every game for the fans in every competition,’ Calum continued. ‘It's unfortunately not worked out like that this year, but we want to win every single game from now until the end of the season, as you do in any season, but it's not about extra motivation.
‘We want to do it for ourselves, we want to do it for the fans and the club, everyone. The FA Cup is a massive competition, historic, and we want to win the final and win every Premier League game remaining.’
For the 17th time in our history, Chelsea will compete in the FA Cup final after the Blues defeated Leeds United at Wembley this afternoon.
Chelsea triumphed over our old rivals Leeds United in the FA Cup once again, this time Enzo Fernandez's first-half goal booking the Blues' place in the final with a dominant win at Wembley Stadium.
The Spaniard was called into action early on to deny Brenden Aaronson, but then Joao Pedro struck the post as we began to take charge with some controlled passing play and the occasional display of flair in the final third.
That paid off midway through the first half, when Fernandez timed his run to perfection to meet Pedro Neto's cross and head us into the lead from close range. Joao Pedro and Alejandro Garnacho both went close to extending our advantage either side of half-time, while Sanchez produced another good save to deny Anton Stach as Leeds tried to fight back in the second half.
However, from the moment we took the lead there only ever looked like being one winner of this semi-final, and it will be Chelsea who return here to Wembley in a few weeks to make our 17th appearance in an FA Cup final.
The selection
Calum McFarlane made three changes to the line-up as he returned to the dugout as interim head coach. Robert Sanchez continued between the posts and was protected by a back four of Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Cucurella.
Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia started in midfield, while Alejandro Garnacho came into the attack, alongside Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto. Joao Pedro, after missing our last two matches, was back to spearhead the Chelsea front line.
Big day on the big stage
The match started to a huge roar all around a packed Wembley Stadium, as these two old rivals did battle in the FA Cup once more. It was a typically feisty start, as we have come to expect from games between these two teams, whatever the occasion.
The Leeds supporters were lifted when they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, but it looped harmlessly over Sanchez’s crossbar. Before long it was Chelsea who were stamping our authority on the game, and Pedro Neto drew the game’s first save with a low drive from outside the box, but it was too close to Lucas Perri to trouble the goalkeeper.
A series of fouls made it difficult to fall into our rhythm during the opening exchanges, although to the referee’s credit he tried to play advantage when he could. Joao Pedro was on the receiving end of some particularly heavy-handed defending, but helped us start to show our threat by lifting an audacious touch over his own and Ao Tanaka’s head to open up play.
Moises Caicedo chipped a clever pass into the box which drew a few gasps around Wembley, but Garnacho just ran out of pitch chasing it down. Just as we were starting to gather some momentum, though, we were grateful to Sanchez, who produced a brilliant save with his legs to keep out Aaronson when the American got in behind the Blues defence.
Making the pressure count
With 20 minutes on the clock and our dominance demonstrated by our 81 per cent of possession so far, Joao Pedro went a whisker away from opening the scoring. It was a slick, quick couple of passes by Romeo Lavia and Fernandez which set the Brazilian haring towards goal. From an angle he beat Perri, but not the woodwork, has his low left-footed shot came back off the near post.
However, just moments later, Chelsea did have the lead our performance deserved, this time Fernandez getting the final touch. The goal came from us applying pressure high up the pitch, forcing Pascal Struijk to cede possession in a dangerous area. From there, Neto lifted a teasing cross and Fernandez was only too pleased to ghost in unmarked and head in the opener.
Joao enjoying himself
Joao Pedro was continuing to show why his return to the team was such a big boost for the Blues. His hold-up and linking play had been excellent, while he continued to demonstrate his own individual threat with an instinctive chest-control and volley on the swivel, although it drifted just wide to deny him a brilliant goal.
As we edged towards the half-time break with a narrow 1-0 lead, we were still firmly in control of possession. The stadium held its breath when Garnacho drove the ball across the six-yard box after a strong run by Neto opened up space in the final third, but there was nobody there to meet it and Leeds were let off the hook. And so it remained advantage Chelsea with 45 minutes played at Wembley, but that advantage was still a slender one.
Daniel Farke looked to change things up after seeing his team second best so far, introducing Joe Rodon and Anton Stach during the break. It nearly had an instant impact, when the ball dropped for Stach on the edge of the box and he smashed it towards the top corner, but Sanchez reacted brilliantly with a strong hand to tip it over the bar.
Before long the Blues were back on the offensive, when a lovely piece of skill by Gusto was followed by a smart Fernandez flick, but Joao Pedro was eventually crowded out in the box before he could get a clean shot away. Garnacho then had an effort deflected over the bar as we continued looking for a second goal, but we had to remain wary of a Leeds side showing more fight since the break, with Sanchez called into action again by a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header.
Keeping a tight grip
The Yorkshire side definitely started to show more threat as the second half went on, especially on the counter, while they began to press higher up to pitch, trying to cause us more problems. There was also a worrying moment when Sanchez went down needing treatment, but thankfully he was back up and ready to continue in time to watch a Leeds free-kick drift wide of his near post.
However, as Leeds became increasingly desperate, we were able to keep them largely at arm's length during the final 20 minutes of the match, helped by the introduction of Andrey Santos and Cole Palmer from the bench.
With control of the possession and the combination of Tosin and Chalobah keeping the Whites' strikers well marshalled, Sanchez was hardly called into action. A few hopeful efforts from range which drifted high and wide was the best our opponents could muster, as we saw things out through eight minutes of added time to book our return ticket to the national stadium in the FA Cup.
What it means
Chelsea will return to Wembley in three weeks' time to take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday 16 May, with silverware up for grabs for the winner.
What is next
The Blues have a bit of time to recover and work on the training pitch with no midweek fixture, before we get back to Premier League action on Monday 4 May, with a 3pm bank holiday kick-off against Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.
The teams
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia (Santos 65); Neto, Fernandez (c), Garnacho (Palmer 71); Joao Pedro (Delap 90+8)
Unused subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Fofana, Hato, Essugo, Derry
Scorer: Fernandez 23
Booked: Caicedo 60, Palmer 78, Neto 90+4
Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Perri; Justin (Rodon h-t), Bijol (Stach h-t), Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu (c), Tanaka (Nmecha 74), Gudmundsson; Aaronson (Longstaff 86), Okafor (Gnonto 74); Calvert-Lewin
Unused subs: Darlow, Bornauw, James, Piroe
Booked: Struijk 75, Ampadu 78, Nmecha 84, Bogle 90+4
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Crowd: 82,542
Enzo Fernandez is enough of an unprepossessing individual that, at the start of this month, he was banned for two matches by his own club but he is still capable of being a very fine footballer for Chelsea when the mood takes him.
The last-four tie was a heated encounter; the rivalry between Chelsea and Leeds remains intense more than 50 years after it was forged in this competition.
In its latest chapter, the Blues broke the deadlock midway through the opening period. Pedro Neto was the creator as he won possession, broke forward and crossed for Fernandez to head home beyond Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Pern.
Robert Sanchez was called into action twice during the contest and stepped up for Chelsea when needed, denying Brendan Aaronson in the first half and Joe Rodon in the second.
Leeds threw everything forward in the final minutes in search of an equaliser, but the Chelsea defence continuously repelled the Whites to ensure we will compete in the FA Cup's showpiece game for the 17th time.
It is the first occasion we will face Manchester City in the FA Cup final, which will take place on Saturday 16 May at Wembley.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm, with ticket information to follow in due course.
This season's FA Cup semi-final draw has rekindled a rivalry born out of one of the competition's most famous ties. We take a look back at the origins and history of Chelsea versus Leeds United, explaining why there is no love lost when west London faces west Yorkshire on the pitch.
The story really begins with a quest for the same honours in two divisions and at the other’s expense. In late 1963 the pair – Tommy Docherty’s Chelsea and a Leeds team stewarded by Don Revie – met as Division Two promotion hopefuls. The Blues were second and the Whites fourth, needing to win.
The game went this way and that before settling on a draw that eventually meant the Londoners returned to the top flight, while Leeds’ elevation was postponed, albeit only for a year, as it turned out.
Reunited at the same level, they resumed a chase for the same honours that would last half a decade – the crucible of venomous rivalry.
They met as the top tier’s top two teams in winter 1965. Freezing conditions prompted both sets of players to change their studs to leather ones with nails in, and many hobbled away from a rough-and-tumble score draw with blood on their ripped socks.
The final table of 1964/65 would show the battling duo as the finest teams in the league behind champions Manchester United. Yet John Hollins remembered walking off the Elland Road pitch thinking how 'dirty' Leeds were and that he could not 'wait till we get you back to our place.’
12 February 1966 - Chelsea 1 Leeds 0 (FA Cup round four) / 29 April 1967 - Chelsea 1 Leeds 0 (FA Cup semi-final)
The best teams in the country invariably end up playing each other more regularly because they meet in knockout competitions in front of big crowds. And no one likes those who repeatedly end their aspirations.
The first of what was to be six cup encounters over five years came in round four of the FA Cup in front of a shade below 60,000 at the Bridge.
The following season it was the FA Cup semi-final draw that brought the teams together at Villa Park. Again the Blues were 1-0 victors, though a sprinkling of controversy added spice to the rivalry.
A late Peter Lorimer free-kick seemed certain to salvage Leeds’ Wembley bid, until referee Ken Burns ruled it had been taken too quickly, and disallowed the equaliser. Revie was probably still angry about that decision three years later to the day, when the epic rivalry would reach its climax in this competition.
20 September 1969 - Leeds 2 Chelsea 0 (Division One) / 24 September 1969 - Leeds 1 Chelsea 1 (League Cup round three) / 6 October 1969 - Chelsea 2 Leeds 0 (League Cup round three replay)
An intense three clashes over just 17 days included the third and fourth knock-out meetings between the pair in just four seasons. By now Dave Sexton had succeeded Docherty, and as studious a tactician he was, this son of a prizefighter knew the importance of steel in defence.
With new men John Dempsey and David Webb at their heart, the Blues had taken three points from a possible four off Leeds the previous season. ‘They proved that these days they are nobody’s pushover,’ one reporter enthused. Games between the two were marked by fraying tempers, the whistle constantly blowing, and names going in books. Lorimer would later remark that Chelsea ‘kicked everything above grass’.
And as if regular clashes in the FA Cup were not enough, along came the League Cup. The drawn first game was described as the ‘Almighty clash of brute force,’ with injuries on both sides.
Chelsea won the replay at the Bridge conclusively. ‘More heartening for football,’ reckoned The Mirror’s Ken Jones, ‘was the fact that this match was empty of the malice shown in previous meetings between these teams this season.’
11 April 1970 - Chelsea 2 Leeds 2 (FA Cup final) / 29 April 1970 - Chelsea 2 Leeds 1 (FA Cup final replay)
Don Revie had publicly avowed the FA Cup was the league champions’ number one priority, ‘in order to wipe out the embarrassing memory of our flop in the final four years ago.’
The Leeds boss also said before the season started that teams from the south were too soft to succeed. He looked prophetic when the Yorkshiremen won 5-2 at the Bridge towards the close of the league season.
Usually, though, Chelsea were wise to their bullying tactics and habit of surrounding referees to force a decision in their favour.
‘They didn’t intimidate us,’ Peter Osgood was fond of saying. ‘That’s why they hated us.’ There was, he said in his autobiography, ‘Ossie’, ‘no other club on the planet we would enjoy beating so much.’
The two clubs would collide again in the much-anticipated 1970 FA Cup final, producing a record British television audience eager to see how the animosity and clash of cultures would manifest itself in the only live game of the English season.
The brutality of the final at Wembley and replay at Old Trafford is legendary. Referees have reviewed the leniency of man in black Hugh Jennings and puzzled why he did not produce a handful of red cards. There were snide follow-throughs, studs-up challenges, and even the odd chase and kick up the backside.
‘At times,’ Hugh McIlvanney famously reported, ‘it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free-kick only on production of a death certificate.’ An error-strewn 2-2 at the national stadium was followed by an incredibly dramatic night at Old Trafford.
Leeds took the lead and managed to nobble the heroic Peter Bonetti. But once Charlie Cooke had fed Osgood’s diving header, the Yorkshire grit seemed to crumble.
Dave Webb’s header won Chelsea’s first FA Cup and was another dagger to the heart of Revie and co. With 28.49 million watching in the UK and countless others viewing worldwide, it was a night neither club could ever forget, engraving the animosity onto football’s family silver.
28 April 1984 - Chelsea 5 Leeds 0 (Division Two)
Time had passed and the memories of 1970 stayed strong. But the titans of the epic clash almost exactly 14 years earlier were now in the second tier and this was not an even contest.
Chelsea thrashed the mid-table Yorkshiremen 5-0 to set up a promotion party, with Paul Canoville, a boyhood fan of the visitors, adding the fifth and prompting a pitch invasion. Leeds’ sole contribution came from their embarrassed fans, who trashed the north end’s new electric scoreboard.
13 December 1997 - Chelsea 0 Leeds 0 (Premier League) / 8 April 1998 - Leeds 3 Chelsea 1 (Premier League)
‘When two tribes go to war,’ Frankie Goes To Hollywood once observed, ‘a point is all that you can score.’ So it proved in December 1997, when former Blue George Graham saw two of his Leeds players sent off by Graham Poll, then blunted it out to secure a 0-0 draw.
By the time the midweek reverse fixture at Elland Road came around the Blues were distracted by the prospect of a European Cup Winners’ Cup final, with a semi-final second leg to come.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was in venomous form, and the hosts led 3-1 soon after the break. Despite that loss, Gianluca Vialli’s Blues finished a creditable fourth – one above the Whites – and beat Stuttgart in the European final to soften the blow of losing to our rivals.
5 May 1999 - Chelsea 1 Leeds 0 (Premier League)
Hasselbaink’s presence in the royal blue ranks added another grievance to the heritage of this fixture, with Leeds fans keen to allege their former favourite had quit solely for personal gain.
The striker actually arrived a few months after this game via Atletico Madrid – no player has transferred directly from Elland Road to Stamford Bridge.
This was effectively a play-off for the Champions League, with fourth-placed Leeds needing to chip away some of the five-point advantage held by Gianluca Vialli’s team. Gustavo Poyet scored the only goal and third place was ours.
‘It didn’t take a rocket scientist to pick out which three teams would be up there,’ Leeds boss David O’Leary conceded in the aftermath, ‘but we’ve won the “other” league.’
For Chelsea a first ever qualifying round place was 44 years overdue: the Football League forced the Ted Drake’s champions not to enter the inaugural competition in 1955
15 May 2004 - Chelsea 1 Leeds 0 (Premier League)
Chelsea’s fanbase had been robbed of the morbid pleasure of ‘putting Leeds down’ by a 4-1 defeat for the old enemy at Bolton, and this was an oddly passionless affair. Jesper Gronkjaer met Glen Johnson’s cross with a header that proved the winner.
The result would make this a sliding-doors moment in the clubs’ relationship. The concluding game of Roman Abramovich’s first season as Chelsea owner was Claudio Ranieri’s last as coach, and the pride of Yorkshire bade farewell to the big time with talk of more than £103m debt ringing in their ears. ‘If it wasn’t for the Russian you’d be us,’ chanted their defiant supporters at the Bridge.
Since 1997 Leeds had gambled tens of millions on ‘living the dream’. That was now to give way to ‘doing a Leeds’: shorthand for spiralling down the league after relegation.
Chelsea, meanwhile, brought in Jose Mourinho as coach and won back-to-back Premier League titles.
19 Dec 2012 - Leeds 1 Chelsea 5 (League Cup round five)
Like an old flame from a troubled relationship, Leeds, swinging between Championship and League One, popped up in the latter stages of the League Cup in 2012.
Since the heyday of the wild affair Ken Bates, the Blues’ former chairman, had taken over at Elland Road, providing a sideshow to the main event. The old songs were sung, the atmosphere was spicy, but the hatred had gone.
Leading 1-0 at half-time, the Whites were sunk with a five-goal cannonade after the break. It felt like a throwback to an age that had passed but eight years later, the rivalry would start up all again in the Premier League.
2020-onwards
After Leeds United were promoted back to the top flight for the 2020/21 season, two clashes behind closed doors followed. A 3-1 win at the Bridge preceded a 0-0 draw at Elland Road, the games seeing a reunion on the touchline between old 'Spygate' managerial foes Frank Lampard and Marcelo Bielsa.
But perhaps the best modern meeting between the two came in late 2021, as new life was breathed into the rivalry between the two clubs during a five-goal classic.
Mason Mount and Jorginho's goals had cancelled out an early Leeds penalty to put us on course for the win. But the visitors' substitute Joe Gelhardt beat Edouard Mendy with only seven minutes left on the clock.
Enter Jorghino to save the day. A last-gasp foul on Antonio Rudiger gave the Italian a second penalty of the day, he didn't miss and Leeds had to make the long journey back up to Yorkshire without a point.
The two sides again faced off again in 2022/23. Leeds won 3-0 at Elland Road in August, before a Wesley Fofana goal secured the Blues a 1-0 win at the Bridge in March, as our old foes went on to be relegated at the end of the season.
There was to be more drama when we met again in the FA Cup in 2024, this time in the fifth round.
Mateo Joseph had given the hosts an early lead before goals from Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk turned the tie around. However, Joseph's second looked set to set the game to extra-time before Conor Gallagher popped up in the second minute of injury-time to fire us into the quarter-finals.
With Leeds now back in the Premier League, we have played out two matches in the rivalry already this season, but they have both been painful encounters for the Blues. Pedro Neto's goal wasn't enough to spark a come-back when we lost 3-1 at Elland Road at the start of December. When Leeds came to the Bridge in February it started well, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer giving us the lead, but the visitors fought back for a 2-2 draw.
Hopefully it will be third time lucky when we meet again at Wembley later this month.
Source: Chelsea fc
Chelsea have learned they will face Leeds United in The FA Cup semi-finals after a hectic Sunday afternoon clash that saw Leeds edge past Axel Disasi’s West Ham.
It comes after Chelsea had beaten three Championship sides to reach the quarter-finals. Easy wins over Charlton and Hull City were followed by a tricky clash at Wrexham, which saw Chelsea go to extra time.
Seven different scorers, too. Jorrel Hato, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, or an own goal, Estevao, Tosin, Andrey Santos, and Alejandro Garnacho all scored for the Blues. Man City had smashed Liverpool earlier on.
A 4-0 win, inspired by Erling Haaland, and then, later on, on Saturday night, Southampton produced the result of the round. A 2-1 win over Arsenal on the south coast, ending Arsenal’s hopes of the quadruple.
Chelsea then, went into the draw with the knowledge that they could reach the final without even playing against a Premier League side, if they drew Southampton. Leeds and Man City eagerly awaited the draw.
Despite Axel Disasi ending a year-long goal drought to draw West Ham level in injury time, West Ham eventually suffered a penalty-shootout defeat to Leeds, as Pascal Struijk scored the winning penalty.
Chelsea have been drawn against Leeds, with the game to take place at Wembley. Joe Cole instantly responded with “ooh, that is feisty, 1970”, briefly mentioning the final 56 years ago on TNT Sports.
Chelsea failed to beat Leeds in both of their Premier League games this season, drawing 2-2 at home after a 3-1 loss in Yorkshire. The semi-finals will be played on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of April.
Source: The Chelsea Chronicles
Chelsea Football Club today confirms that we will face Leeds United in the semi-finals of the 2025/26 Emirates FA Cup.
The two-legged tie will be contested as a single match at Wembley Stadium on the weekend of Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April 2026. The exact date and kick-off time for the Chelsea fixture will be confirmed by the Football Association in due course, with both semi-finals scheduled across the two days.
Chelsea advanced to the last four with an emphatic 7-0 victory over League Two side Port Vale in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Leeds United, meanwhile, booked their place at Wembley by overcoming West Ham United on penalties in a dramatic quarter-final clash played earlier today at the London Stadium.
Head Coach Liam Rosenior said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be in the semi-finals again. Reaching Wembley is always a special moment for any player, staff member and supporter, and to do so in the FA Cup – the oldest and most prestigious domestic cup competition in the world – makes it even more meaningful. Leeds are a club with real pedigree in this competition and a passionate fanbase, so we know it will be a huge occasion. But our focus now is on preparing properly while continuing our strong run of form in the Premier League.”
Chelsea’s path to the semi-finals has seen impressive performances, including standout wins in earlier rounds that showcased the squad’s depth and attacking quality. The Blues last lifted the FA Cup in 2018 and remain one of the most successful clubs in the competition’s history.
Leeds United, currently competing in the Premier League, bring their own rich FA Cup heritage to the tie. The two clubs famously met in the 1970 FA Cup Final (and its replay), one of the most memorable and hard-fought encounters in the competition’s annals.
Tickets for the semi-final will go on sale to Chelsea supporters in due course, with allocation details and priority access information to be shared via chelseafc.com and the Chelsea app. Supporters are advised to only purchase tickets through official channels to avoid disappointment.
This semi-final represents another significant milestone in Chelsea’s 2025/26 campaign as the club continues to compete on multiple fronts under Rosenior’s leadership.
Cole Palmer led Chelsea out for the first time with the captain’s armband on Saturday evening and he sent a hilarious message to Roy Keane after an incident in the tunnel.
Back in 2004, Paul Ince delayed his Wolves side joining Man United in the tunnel at Molineux, and instead of remaining patient, Keane ordered his troops out on the pitch against ref Andy D’Urso’s wishes.
TNT posted a clip of Palmer at the front of the Chelsea queue, waiting to go out onto the pitch, and the England star even asking the officials, “Do we just go out?”. Eventually, Port Vale’s players joined Chelsea.
Reacting to the clip on Instagram, Palmer joked he was very “close” to taking the Chelsea players out onto the pitch, before tagging Manchester United icon Keane in his post on Instagram, after the 7-0 win.
Plenty of hype has been made about Kavuma-McQueen, and Rosenior decided to hand him his debut on Saturday evening, replacing Romeo Lavia in the 78th minute with Chelsea already leading Port Vale 5-0.
In Premier League 2 this season, Kavuma-McQueen has been involved in eight goals in just 12 matches, scoring five goals and providing three assists. He’s clocked up 11 goals in 23 games for the youth sides.
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen was the latest Chelsea talent to make his debut under Liam Rosenior after coming off the bench against Port Vale – and both Rosenior and Reece James have responded.
It was just the win Rosenior needed, after four straight defeats before the break and the controversy surrounding both Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez. Rosenior couldn’t afford an embarrassing defeat.
They did the job, and then some. Even more so, handing a player a debut that fans had been calling for will have gone down well. Speaking in his press conference after the game, Rosenior was delighted.
“I was so happy for Ryan. I had the pleasure of watching him in the FA Youth Cup game maybe six weeks ago. I know a lot about the academy. The academy coaches tell me a lot about the players.
“I felt it was a really good moment for Ryan and for what is traditionally an outstanding academy to have another debut,” Rosenior said, having handed a third debut to one of Chelsea’s up-and-coming stars.
Reece James, a product of the Chelsea academy, was also delighted to see Kavuma-McQueen make his debut for Chelsea. He posted on Instagram: “Congrats lil bro, so happy for you.”
Earlier yesterday, an Erling Haaland-inspired performance saw Man City demolish Liverpool with a 4-0 win. On Sunday, Leeds United go to West Ham in a battle between two Premier League relegation rivals.
Chelsea then, have a real chance of FA Cup glory without even meeting a Premier League side in their run to the semi-finals. They might even get the chance of a place in the final, without having to do so.
Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s star attacking midfielder, spoke of immense pride after captaining the Blues for the first time during Saturday’s commanding 7-0 Emirates FA Cup quarter-final victory over League One side Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.
With regular captain Reece James, vice-captain Enzo Fernández, and other senior players including Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella unavailable for the starting line-up, head coach Liam Rosenior handed the armband to the 23-year-old academy graduate-turned-key performer. Palmer led the team out onto the pitch, navigated a light-hearted tunnel delay with opponents, and inspired a ruthless display that booked Chelsea’s place at Wembley Stadium for the semi-finals.
In a post-match interview, Palmer reflected warmly on the experience, saying: “Long time coming. It was a proud moment being captain. I enjoyed it and it was a good afternoon.”
The England international, who has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most creative and clinical talents since joining Chelsea in 2023, also scored in the emphatic win. His leadership by example—through composure on the ball, vision in attack, and consistent high performance—set the tone for a dominant team display that delighted the home crowd.
Palmer, who has already played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s recent successes—including victories in the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup in 2025—added that the result would provide a significant lift for the squad as they balance domestic cup commitments with Premier League and other challenges.
Head coach Liam Rosenior praised Palmer’s maturity, noting that the player “led by example” despite not being the traditional vocal captain. Rosenior highlighted how Palmer’s influence on and off the ball helped maintain focus throughout the match.
This milestone comes at a significant point in Palmer’s rapid rise. Since arriving from Manchester City, he has become a cornerstone of Chelsea’s attack, earning individual accolades such as a place in the FIFA Best Men’s XI and contributing decisively in major finals. Wearing the captain’s armband for the first time represents another personal landmark for the young star, who has often spoken of his deep connection to the club and its supporters.
Chelsea now advance to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they will face one of the remaining teams in the competition. The club continues to build momentum under Rosenior, blending youthful talent with experienced leadership as they compete on multiple fronts this season.
Quotes:
Cole Palmer: “Long time coming. It was a proud moment being captain. I enjoyed it and it was a good afternoon… I feel good, feel like I’ve turned a corner.”
Liam Rosenior (on Palmer’s captaincy): “Cole led by example today.”
Run it back 🔵 pic.twitter.com/H6pth0yZ9r
— CFCDaily (@CFCDaily) April 4, 2026
We Breathe Blue
