Today, we’ll delve into a topic that encapsulates the essence of English soccer like no other – the FA Cup winners since its inception in 1872.
The FA Cup, an emblem of English football’s enduring legacy, stands tall as one of the oldest and most revered competitions in the sport’s history. Since its inaugural clash in 1871, this tournament has woven itself into the very fabric of the game, becoming a hallowed ground for giants and underdogs alike.
In this article, we’ll go through the FA Cup winners over the years, the most successful FA Cup teams, and the major milestones of the tournament in different eras.
So, let’s get started!
Most Successful FA Cup Teams
Before getting into the complete list of all FA Cup Winners, let’s first take a look at the most successful teams in the competition.
| Club | Wins | First FA Cup won | Last FA Cup won | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 14 | 1930 | 2020 | 7 |
| Manchester United | 12 | 1909 | 2016 | 9 |
| Chelsea | 8 | 1970 | 2018 | 8 |
| Liverpool | 8 | 1965 | 2022 | 7 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 1901 | 1991 | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 7 | 1887 | 1957 | 4 |
| Manchester City | 7 | 1904 | 2023 | 5 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 6 | 1884 | 1928 | 2 |
| Newcastle United | 6 | 1910 | 1955 | 7 |
| Everton | 5 | 1906 | 1995 | 8 |
| Wanderers | 5 | 1872 | 1878 | 0 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 5 | 1888 | 1968 | 5 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 4 | 1923 | 1958 | 3 |
| Sheffield United | 4 | 1899 | 1925 | 2 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4 | 1893 | 1960 | 4 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 3 | 1896 | 1935 | 3 |
| West Ham United | 3 | 1964 | 1980 | 2 |
| Bury | 2 | 1900 | 1903 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2 | 1898 | 1959 | 1 |
| Old Etonians | 2 | 1879 | 1882 | 4 |
| Portsmouth | 2 | 1939 | 2008 | 3 |
| Preston North End | 2 | 1889 | 1938 | 5 |
| Sunderland | 2 | 1937 | 1973 | 2 |
| Barnsley | 1 | 1912 | 1912 | 1 |
| Blackburn Olympic | 1 | 1883 | 1883 | 0 |
| Blackpool | 1 | 1953 | 1953 | 2 |
| Bradford City | 1 | 1911 | 1911 | 0 |
| Burnley | 1 | 1914 | 1914 | 2 |
| Cardiff City | 1 | 1927 | 1927 | 2 |
| Charlton Athletic | 1 | 1947 | 1947 | 1 |
| Clapham Rovers | 1 | 1880 | 1880 | 1 |
| Coventry City | 1 | 1987 | 1987 | 0 |
| Derby County | 1 | 1946 | 1946 | 3 |
| Huddersfield Town | 1 | 1922 | 1922 | 4 |
| Ipswich Town | 1 | 1978 | 1978 | 0 |
| Leeds United | 1 | 1972 | 1972 | 3 |
| Leicester City | 1 | 2021 | 2021 | 4 |
| Notts County | 1 | 1894 | 1894 | 1 |
| Old Carthusians | 1 | 1881 | 1881 | 0 |
| Oxford University | 1 | 1874 | 1874 | 3 |
| Royal Engineers | 1 | 1875 | 1875 | 3 |
| Southampton | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 3 |
| Wigan Athletic | 1 | 2013 | 2013 | 0 |
| Wimbledon | 1 | 1988 | 1988 | 0 |
List of All FA Cup Winners Since 1872
| Year | Winner | Runners-Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Manchester City | Manchester United | 2-1 |
| 2022 | Liverpool | Chelsea | 0-0 (p 6–5) |
| 2021 | Leicester City | Chelsea | 1-0 |
| 2020 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2-1 |
| 2019 | Manchester City | Watford | 6-0 |
| 2018 | Chelsea | Manchester | 1–0 |
| 2017 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2–1 |
| 2016 | Manchester United | Crystal Palace | 2–1 aet |
| 2015 | Arsenal | Aston Villa | 4–0 |
| 2014 | Arsenal | Hull City | 3–2 aet |
| 2013 | Wigan Athletic | Manchester City | 1–0 |
| 2012 | Chelsea | Liverpool | 2–1 |
| 2011 | Manchester City | Stoke City | 1-0 |
| 2010 | Chelsea | Portsmouth | 1-0 |
| 2009 | Chelsea | Everton | 2-1 |
| 2008 | Portsmouth | Cardiff City | 1-0 |
| 2007 | Chelsea | Manchester United | 1-0 |
| 2006 | Liverpool | West Ham United | 3-3 (p 3–1) |
| 2005 | Arsenal | Manchester United | 0-0 (p 5–4) |
| 2004 | Manchester United | Millwall | 3-0 |
| 2003 | Arsenal | Southampton | 1-0 |
| 2002 | Arsenal | Chelsea | 2-0 |
| 2001 | Liverpool | Arsenal | 2-1 |
| 2000 | Chelsea | Aston Villa | 1-0 |
| 1999 | Manchester United | Newcastle United | 2-0 |
| 1998 | Arsenal | Newcastle United | 2-0 |
| 1997 | Chelsea | Middlesbrough | 2-0 |
| 1996 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 1995 | Everton | Manchester United | 1-0 |
| 1994 | Manchester United | Chelsea | 4-0 |
| 1993 – replay | Arsenal | Sheffield Wednesday | 2-1 aet |
| 1992 | Liverpool | Sunderland | 2-0 |
| 1991 | Tottenham Hotspur | Nottingham Forest | 2-1 aet |
| 1990 – replay | Manchester United | Crystal Palace | 1-0 |
| 1989 | Liverpool | Everton | 3-2 aet |
| 1988 | Wimbledon | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 1987 | Coventry City | Tottenham Hotspur | 3-2 aet |
| 1986 | Liverpool | Everton | 3-1 |
| 1985 | Manchester United | Everton | 1-0 aet |
| 1984 | Everton | Watford | 2-0 |
| 1983 – replay | Manchester United | Brighton and Hove Albion | 4-0 |
| 1982 – replay | Tottenham Hotspur | Queens Park Rangers | 1-0 |
| 1981 – replay | Tottenham Hotspur | Manchester City | 3-2 |
| 1980 | West Ham United | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 1979 | Arsenal | Manchester United | 3-2 |
| 1978 | Ipswich Town | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 1977 | Manchester United | Liverpool | 2-1 |
| 1976 | Southampton | Manchester United | 1-0 |
| 1975 | West Ham United | Fulham | 2-0 |
| 1974 | Liverpool | Newcastle United | 3-0 |
| 1973 | Sunderland | Leeds United | 1-0 |
| 1972 | Leeds United | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 1971 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2-1 aet |
| 1970 – replay | Chelsea | Leeds United | 2-1 |
| 1969 | Manchester City | Leicester City | 1-0 |
| 1968 | West Bromwich Albion | Everton | 1-0 aet |
| 1967 | Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea | 2-1 |
| 1966 | Everton | Sheffield Wednesday | 3-2 |
| 1965 | Liverpool | Leeds United | 2-1 aet |
| 1964 | West Ham United | Preston North End | 3-2 |
| 1963 | Manchester United | Leicester City | 3-1 |
| 1962 | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | 3-1 |
| 1961 | Tottenham Hotspur | Leicester City | 2-0 |
| 1960 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Blackburn Rovers | 3-0 |
| 1959 | Nottingham Forest | Luton Town | 2-1 |
| 1958 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester United | 2-0 |
| 1957 | Aston Villa | Manchester United | 2-1 |
| 1956 | Manchester City | Birmingham City | 3-1 |
| 1955 | Newcastle United | Manchester City | 3-1 |
| 1954 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 3-2 |
| 1953 | Blackpool | Bolton Wanderers | 4-3 |
| 1952 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 1951 | Newcastle United | Blackpool | 2-0 |
| 1950 | Arsenal | Liverpool | 2-0 |
| 1949 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Leicester City | 3-1 |
| 1948 | Manchester United | Blackpool | 4-2 |
| 1947 | Charlton Athletic | Burnley | 1-0 aet |
| 1946 | Derby County | Charlton Athletic | 4-1 aet |
| 1939 | Portsmouth | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4-1 |
| 1938 | Preston North End | Huddersfield Town | 1-0 aet |
| 1937 | Sunderland | Preston North End | 3-1 |
| 1936 | Arsenal | Sheffield United | 1-0 |
| 1935 | Sheffield Wednesday | West Bromwich Albion | 4-2 |
| 1934 | Manchester City | Portsmouth | 2-1 |
| 1933 | Everton | Manchester City | 3-0 |
| 1932 | Newcastle United | Arsenal | 2-1 |
| 1931 | West Bromwich Albion | Birmingham City | 2-1 |
| 1930 | Arsenal | Huddersfield Town | 2-0 |
| 1929 | Bolton Wanderers | Portsmouth | 2-0 |
| 1928 | Blackburn Rovers | Huddersfield Town | 3-1 |
| 1927 | Cardiff City | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 1926 | Bolton Wanderers | Manchester City | 1-0 |
| 1925 | Sheffield United | Cardiff City | 1-0 |
| 1924 | Newcastle United | Aston Villa | 2-0 |
| 1923 | Bolton Wanderers | West Ham United | 2-0 |
| 1922 | Huddersfield Town | Preston North End | 1-0 |
| 1921 | Tottenham Hotspur | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1-0 |
| 1920 | Aston Villa | Huddersfield Town | 1-0 aet |
| 1915 | Sheffield United | Chelsea | 3-0 |
| 1914 | Burnley | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 1913 | Aston Villa | Sunderland | 1-0 |
| 1912 – replay | Barnsley | West Bromwich Albion | 1-0 |
| 1911 – replay | Bradford City | Newcastle United | 1-0 |
| 1910- replay | Newcastle United | Barnsley | 2-0 |
| 1909 | Manchester United | Bristol City | 1-0 |
| 1908 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Newcastle United | 3-1 |
| 1907 | Sheffield Wednesday | Everton | 2-1 |
| 1906 | Everton | Newcastle United | 1-0 |
| 1905 | Aston Villa | Newcastle United | 2-0 |
| 1904 | Manchester City | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 |
| 1903 | Bury | Derby County | 6-0 |
| 1902 – replay | Sheffield United | Southampton | 2-1 |
| 1901 – replay | Tottenham Hotspur | Sheffield United | 3-1 |
| 1900 | Bury | Southampton | 4-0 |
| 1899 | Sheffield United | Derby County | 4-1 |
| 1898 | Nottingham Forest | Derby County | 3-1 |
| 1897 | Aston Villa | Everton | 3-2 |
| 1896 | Sheffield Wednesday | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2-1 |
| 1895 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 1-0 |
| 1894 | Notts County | Bolton Wanderers | 4-1 |
| 1893 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Everton | 1-0 |
| 1892 | West Bromwich Albion | Aston Villa | 3-0 |
| 1891 | Blackburn Rovers | Notts County | 3-1 |
| 1890 | Blackburn Rovers | Sheffield Wednesday | 6-1 |
| 1889 | Preston North End | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3-0 |
| 1888 | West Bromwich Albion | Preston North End | 2-1 |
| 1887 | Aston Villa | West Bromwich Albion | 2-0 |
| 1886 – replay | Blackburn Rovers | West Bromwich Albion | 2-0 |
| 1885 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park, Glasgow | 2-0 |
| 1884 | Blackburn Rovers | Queens Park, Glasgow | 2-1 |
| 1883 | Blackburn Olympic | Old Etonians | 2-1 aet |
| 1882 | Old Etonians | Blackburn Rovers | 1-0 |
| 1881 | Old Carthusians | Old Etonians | 3-0 |
| 1880 | Clapham Rovers | Oxford University | 1-0 |
| 1879 | Old Etonians | Clapham Rovers | 1-0 |
| 1878 | Wanderers | Royal Engineers | 3-1 |
| 1877 | Wanderers | Oxford University | 2-1 aet |
| 1876 – replay | Wanderers | Old Etonians | 3-0 |
| 1875 – replay | Royal Engineers | Old Etonians | 2-0 |
| 1874 | Oxford University | Royal Engineers | 2-0 |
| 1873 | Wanderers | Oxford University | 2-0 |
| 1872 | Wanderers | Royal Engineers | 1-0 |
Other Tournaments/League Winners Lists:
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Europa League
- English Premier League
- EFL Cup
- La Liga
- Copa Del Rey
- Serie A
- Bundesliga
- DFB-Pokal
- Ligue 1
- Major League Soccer
- UEFA Euros
- Copa America
- Copa Libertadores
Major Milestones of the FA Cup
Early Years (1871 – 1900)
The FA Cup was first played in 1872 when soccer in England was just starting to take shape. The tournament mainly consisted of amateur teams from all over England. The first FA Cup was won by the Wanderers, a team from London, made up of former public schoolboys. They dominated the early competition, winning five FA Cups out of the first seven.
In 1883, nine years after the inaugural FA Cup, Blackburn Olympic became the first team from North of England to win the competition.
However, it was the other team from Blackburn – Blackburn Rovers – that came to dominate the FA Cup in the 19th century. They won three consecutive FA Cups from 1884 to 1886, and added two more trophies in 1890 and 1891.
The Pioneering Era (1901-1930)
The 20th century was kicked off in style with Tottenham Hotspur winning the FA Cup. They became the only non-league club to ever win the tournament. The final was played between Tottenham and Sheffield United at Crystal Palace in London. It attracted a crowd of over 110,000 spectators, becoming the highest-attended soccer match at the time. It was also the first soccer match to be recorded on camera.
The FA Cup was played every year until 1915 when the tournament had to be paused for 4 years due to the outbreak of World War 1. The tournament was resumed in 1920 and Aston Villa were crowned the FA Cup winners.
The 1923 final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United was the first FA Cup final to be played at the famous Wembley Stadium in London. A crowd of 200,000 turned up to watch the game in a stadium meant for only 127,000. The game had to be delayed three-quarter of an hour to clear the audience off the soccer field.
The War Years and Post-War Resurgence (1931 – 1960)
Post 1930, the FA Cup saw new teams emerge as victors, including Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal winning their first FA Cup.
The tournament was again suspended from 1939 to 1945 due to World War 2. Soccer returned in England in the 1945/46 season and a new rule of playing two legs (one home game and one away) was introduced to increase the number of games in a season. Derby County won the FA Cup that year.
Newcastle United emerged as England’s best soccer team in the 1950s, winning three FA Cup trophies during that decade.
The Modern Era (1961-2000)
A few select teams took a stronghold of the FA Cup during the late 20th century. Teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Manchester United won several FA Cup trophies during this time.
In the 1967 FA Cup tournament, the first substitutes started being allowed in the finals. The lack of substitutes in the earlier tournaments resulted in a growing list of injured players.
The 1970 FA Cup final between Chelsea and Leeds United was the first to go to a replay. Chelsea came out as the FA Cup winners, beating Leeds 2-1 in the replayed game.
In 1981, The 100th FA Cup final took place between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. The game ended 1-1 and had to be replayed to determine the winner. Tottenham won the replay 3-2.
In 1993, Arsenal became the first team to win both the FA Cup and League Cup in a single season. This was also the last time that an FA Cup final was determined by a replay. Going forward, the final would go to extra time and penalties to determine the winner.
The semi-final replays were also scrapped a few years later in the 1999/00 season. Manchester United became the first team to not defend their FA Cup title that season, after they opted not to participate in the tournament. Given a choice, the club chose to compete in the newly formed FIFA Club World Cup instead.
The Turn of the Century (2001-2023)
The 21st century so far has seen an even more stronger dominance of the FA Cup by a few teams at the top of the English soccer pyramid. Seeing an underdog success story in the tournament is becoming rarer as years go by.
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City have dominated the competition for the last two decades. The only shock win was Wigan Athletic’s win over Manchester City in the 2013 final. They became the first team to win the FA Cup and get relegated from the Premier League in the same season.
The 2001 FA Cup final was the first time that the final was played outside of England. The game between Arsenal and Liverpool was played in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. This became the FA Cup final venue until 2006 due to the redevelopment project of Wembley stadium.
Starting from 2016, replays were also scrapped for the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Other Tournaments/League Winners Lists:
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Europa League
- English Premier League
- EFL Cup
- La Liga
- Copa Del Rey
- Serie A
- Bundesliga
- DFB-Pokal
- Ligue 1
- Major League Soccer
- UEFA Euros
- Copa America
- Copa Libertadores
Thank You For Reading
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