2025 FA Cup final

The 2025 FA Cup final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 17 May 2025 between Crystal Palace and Manchester City that determined the winners of the 2024–25 FA Cup. It was the 144th final of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup.

Crystal Palace won the match 1–0 after a first-half goal from winger Eberechi Eze and a penalty save by goalkeeper Dean Henderson, resulting in the club winning their first-ever major trophy, excluding defunct competitions (having previously won the 1991 Full Member's Cup). As winners, they earned the right to play against Liverpool, the winners of the 2024–25 Premier League, in the 2025 FA Community Shield. However, they lost the right to play in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League which is given to the FA Cup winners due to the fellow qualification to the league phase of the 2025–26 UEFA Europa League for Olympique Lyonnais, who have a same major shareholder with them, had a higher league position in the same season, after their successful relegation appeal. Nevertheless, they were instead given a berth to play in the play-off round of the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League. It also meant that Crystal Palace qualified to a major European competition for the first time in club history This decision was appealed by Crystal Palace but was unsuccessful.

For Manchester City, this was their third consecutive FA Cup final, and second defeat in a row, becoming the tenth team to lose consecutive finals.

As a Premier League team, Crystal Palace entered the tournament in the third round. They began their FA Cup journey with a narrow 1–0 home win over Stockport County; the lone goal scored by Eberechi Eze. Palace then defeated League Two side Doncaster Rovers 2–0, with goals coming from Daniel Muñoz and Justin Devenny. In the fifth round against fellow rivals Millwall in the south-east London derby, Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was stretchered off just nine minutes into the match following a collision with Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts, who was shown a straight red card for striking Mateta in the head with his boot—a challenge that left Mateta needing 25 stitches. With Millwall reduced to ten men, Palace quickly took control, earning a 3–1 victory through a Japhet Tanganga own goal, followed by goals from Daniel Muñoz and Eddie Nketiah.

In the quarter-finals, Crystal Palace were drawn against fellow Premier League club Fulham. Despite being away at Craven Cottage, Palace comfortably dispatched the south-west London side 3–0, with Eberechi Eze, Ismaïla Sarr, and Eddie Nketiah all getting their names on the scoresheet. In the semi-finals against Aston Villa at Wembley, Crystal Palace secured a 3–0 victory courtesy of a goal from Eberechi Eze followed by an Ismaïla Sarr brace. This victory sent Palace through to their third FA Cup final, and their first since 2016, when they were defeated 2–1 by Manchester United, with Joel Ward the only remaining player from that side.

As a Premier League team, Manchester City entered the tournament in the third round. City began their FA Cup campaign with a commanding 8–0 victory at home against League Two side Salford City. The majority of the goals came from James McAtee, who scored a second-half hat-trick, and Jérémy Doku, who scored a brace, with Divin Mubama, Jack Grealish, and Nico O'Reilly also contributing to the scoring. This was their biggest win since defeating Watford by the same score in 2019. City survived an early scare against Leyton Orient in the fourth round, with goals from Abdukodir Khusanov and Kevin de Bruyne required to nullify a Stefan Ortega own goal. In the fifth round, City defeated Plymouth Argyle 3–1 despite an opener from Plymouth's Maksym Talovierov due to two goals by Nico O'Reilly, and a goal and an assist from Kevin de Bruyne.

In the quarter-finals, Manchester City were drawn against fellow Premier League team Bournemouth, facing them away from home at Dean Court. Evanilson gave Bournemouth a first-half lead, but for the third match in a row, City mounted a comeback, with second-half goals from strikers Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush securing the victory. In the semi-finals at Wembley, City defeated Nottingham Forest 2–0 by virtue of goals from Rico Lewis and Joško Gvardiol. This marked the first time Manchester City featured in three consecutive FA Cup finals, having previously played in the 2023 and 2024 finals respectively.

The pre-match show featured DJ Tony Perry, supported by the Massed Bands of His Majesty's Royal Marines. "Abide with Me", the traditional pre-match cup final hymn, was sung by Sinead Ashiokai, while Siena MBC performed the national anthem "God Save the King".