Arsenal are the most successful club in the history of the FA Cup
The English FA Cup is acknowledged as the oldest competitive competition in the beautiful game, having first been played in the 1871–72 season. The grand old competition has produced some of the most memorable games in English football.
Some clubs have been more successful than others in the competition, but who has won the FA Cup on the most occasions?
Arsenal (14-time FA Cup winners)
The north London team are the most successful club in the history of the FA Cup, lifting the famous old trophy on 14 occasions. Not only have the Gunners won the FA Cup 14 times, but they have also finished as runners-up seven times.
Arsenal’s first-ever FA Cup triumph came in 1930 when a team managed by iconic manager Herbert Chapman and also containing the legendary Cliff Bastin recorded a 2-0 final victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley.
The Gunners’ best run of form in the competition came between 2014 and 2017, when they lifted the trophy on three occasions.
Manchester United (13-time FA Cup winners)
The Red Devils have appeared in more FA Cup finals than any other team, winning the competition on 13 occasions, and finishing as runners-up nine times.
United’s history of winning the FA Cup goes way back to 1909 when they defeated Bristol City 1-0 in the final courtesy of a goal from Scottish forward Alexander Turnbull at Crystal Palace.
Manchester United’s most recent FA Cup triumph came in 2024, beating city rivals Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley Stadium in the final, with highly-rated youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo getting on the scoresheet.
Chelsea (Eight-time FA Cup winners)
The Blues history of winning the FA Cup goes back to 1970. The team from South West London drew 2-2 in the final of the competition against Leeds United before recording a 2-1 win in the replay courtesy of goals from Peter Osgood and David Webb.
Since that first victory, the Blues have won the FA Cup seven times, including winning their latest in 2018, when an Eden Hazard penalty kick helped them to a 1-0 win at Wembley.
Chelsea have also finished as runners-up on eight occasions, with the latest of those final appearances coming in 2022, as they suffered a penalty kick defeat to Liverpool after a goalless draw in normal and extra-time.
Liverpool (Eight-time FA Cup winners)
The men from Merseysiders have won the FA Cup on eight occasions while also finishing as runners-up a further eight times. The Reds first FA Cup victory came in 1965 when they recorded a 2-1 extra-time final win over Leeds United, with strike duo Roger Hunt and Ian St John getting on the scoresheet.
Liverpool also won the FA Cup in seasons 1973/74, 1985/86, 1988/89, 1991/92, 2000/01, 2005/06 and 2021/22.
Tottenham Hotspur (Eight-time FA Cup winners)
Spurs won the FA Cup in seasons 1900/01, 1920/21, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1966/67, 1980/81, 1981/82 and 1990/91. Their first FA Cup triumph in 1901 was achieved by a 3-1 replay final defeat of Sheffield United after a 2-2 draw in the first game.
The north London outfit also finished as FA Cup final runners-up in 1987, when they suffered a shock 3-2 extra-time defeat by Coventry City at Wembley. The game saw Coventry win their only FA Cup to date, and some consider it to be one of the best finals the competition has ever seen.
Manchester City (Seven-time FA Cup winners)
The Citizens have won the FA Cup on seven occasions and finished as runners-up six times. Their first triumph in the competition came in 1904 when they recorded a 1-0 final victory over Bolton Wanderers through a goal from iconic Welsh star Billy Meredith.
City also won the competition in seasons 1933/34, 1955/56, 1968/69, 2010/11, 2018/19 and 2022/23. Their runners-up campaigns came in seasons 1925/26, 1932/33, 1954/55, 1980/81, 2012/13 and 2023/24.
Aston Villa (Seven-time FA Cup winners)
The Villans have won the FA Cup seven times in seasons 1886/87, 1894/95, 1896/97, 1904/05, 1912/13, 1919/20 and 1956/57. The club from the Midlands has also finished as runners-up in the competition on four occasions in seasons 1891/92, 1923/24, 1999/2000 and 2014/15.
Villa’s first-ever FA Cup triumph all the way back in April 1887, when the Villans recorded a 2-0 win over Midlands rivals West Brom.
Blackburn Rovers (Six-time FA Cup winners)
The Lancashire outfit won the FA Cup six times in seasons 1883/84, 1884/85, 1885/86, 1889/90, 1890/91 and 1927/28 while finishing as runners-up on three occasions in seasons 1881/82 and 1959/60.
Rovers’ maiden FA Cup victory came in 1883 when they recorded a 2-1 final win over Scottish team Queens South at Kennington Oval. Queens Park were playing in the English FA Cup after winning the Scottish counterpart.
Newcastle United (Six-time FA Cup winners)
The Magpies are six-time winners of the grand old competition, lifting the trophy in seasons 1909/10, 1923/24, 1931/32, 1950/51, 1951/52 and 1954/55.
The north east side has actually finished as runners-up more times, on seven occasions, than they have lifted the trophy. They finished as runners-up in seasons 1904/05, 1905/06, 1907/08, 1910/11, 1973/74, 1997/98 and 1998/99.
The Magpies won their first FA Cup in 1910, as they defeated Yorkshire outfit Barnsley 2-0 in an FA Cup replay held at Goodison Park, with Albert Shepherd scoring a brace. The first game at Crystal Palace had ended in a 1-1 draw.