Darren England has been appointed as the referee for the FA Cup final, taking charge of the Wembley showpiece for the first time, while his assistant Akil Howson will make history as the first black official to feature in the match.
Officials Confirmed for May 16 Clash
The Football Association has confirmed the officiating team for the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 16. Darren England will lead the on-field officials, supported by assistant referees Tim Wood and Akil Howson. Howson's inclusion marks a historic milestone as he becomes the first black assistant referee in an FA Cup final. Sam Barrott will serve as the fourth official.
Peter Bankes has been assigned the role of video assistant referee (VAR), with Nick Hopton as his assistant. VAR decisions have been a talking point in recent finals, including last season when a controversial decision not to send off Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson proved pivotal in City's 1-0 defeat. Pep Guardiola was visibly frustrated and confronted Henderson at full-time, later declining to discuss the incident, stating only: "I'm not the referee."
England's Record with Finalists
Darren England has officiated matches involving both finalists this season. He was the referee when City lost at Brighton early in the campaign, but they have won two of the four games he has overseen. For Chelsea, England was in charge of their defeats at Leeds and Arsenal. In the loss at Arsenal, he sent off Pedro Neto, one of ten red cards Chelsea have received this season. He has also issued eight yellow cards to Chelsea players across his four matches involving the Blues.
Road to the Final
Manchester City secured their place in a fourth consecutive FA Cup final by defeating Southampton in the semi-finals, while Chelsea overcame Leeds. City, who last won the trophy in 2023, have been beaten finalists in the past two years, losing to Manchester United and Crystal Palace. Chelsea's last FA Cup triumph came in 2018, and they have not appeared in the final since 2020.
Victory for Manchester City could form part of a historic domestic treble. They have already won the Carabao Cup and are locked in a tight Premier League title race with Arsenal. Guardiola previously achieved the domestic treble in 2019.
