FA Cup Winners List – Every Champion Since 1871

The Football Association Challenge Cup stands as the oldest national football competition in the world, with a lineage stretching back to 1871. Over 150 finals have determined the champions of English football, creating a roll call of victors that spans from Victorian-era amateur sides to modern global superclubs.

Understanding who has lifted the trophy most frequently—and which clubs have etched their names into the competition’s fabric—requires examining complete historical records verified through official match reports and Football Association archives.

Who Has Won the FA Cup the Most Times?

Arsenal holds the record for the most FA Cup wins with 14 titles, establishing a benchmark of sustained excellence across nearly a century of competition. Official records document their victories spanning from 1930 to 2020, including a remarkable period of dominance between 2014 and 2017 when they claimed three trophies in four years.

Manchester United follows closely with 13 victories, their most recent triumph occurring in 2024. Sports Illustrated archives confirm this places them one title behind Arsenal, with 22 final appearances representing the most of any club in the competition’s history.

• Arsenal’s dominance: 14 victories across 21 final appearances, with the most recent triumph in 2020.
• Manchester United’s surge: 13 titles including the 2024 final, with 22 total appearances.
• Perfect record: Tottenham Hotspur holds the best win rate at 8 victories from 9 finals.
• Historic treble: Blackburn Rovers remains the only surviving club with three consecutive wins (1884–1886).
• Founding glory: Wanderers FC won the inaugural 1872 final and all five finals they contested before dissolving.
• Recent expansion: Crystal Palace became the 45th distinct winner with their 2025 victory.
• Back-to-back rarity: Only ten instances of consecutive victories have occurred in over 150 finals.

Wikipedia’s comprehensive finals database confirms these statistics through official match records.

Complete FA Cup Winners List by Year

The Victorian Era and Early Football (1871–1900)

The competition began in 1871 with 15 entrants. Wanderers FC claimed the inaugural title in 1872, defeating Royal Engineers 1–0 at Kennington Oval. The London club would dominate the first decade, securing five titles before withdrawing from active competition.

Blackburn Rovers established the first true dynasty outside the capital, winning three consecutive titles from 1884 to 1886. This achievement remains unique among extant clubs, as historical records indicate no other surviving side has matched this consecutive run.

The Professional Age (1901–1950)

Tottenham Hotspur’s 1901 victory marked the first triumph by a club from the Southern League, breaking the Football League’s early monopoly. The interwar years saw Arsenal’s emergence under Herbert Chapman, with their 1930 victory beginning a collection that would eventually establish the north London club as the competition’s most successful.

Modern Era Expansion (1951–Present)

The post-war period democratized success somewhat, though larger clubs increasingly dominated from the 1990s onward. Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion secured multiple victories during this middle period, while Liverpool’s eight titles, though fewer than their league championships, include memorable finals from 1965 to 2022.

Recent FA Cup Winners (Last 10 Years)

The 2025 Final

ESPN match reports confirm Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City in the 2025 final, securing their first-ever FA Cup title and becoming the 45th distinct club to lift the trophy.

The 2024 Final

Manchester United claimed the 2024 title, narrowing the gap to Arsenal’s record to a single victory. This triumph marked their 13th overall and maintained their position as the second-most successful club in competition history.

Championship Trends (2015–2025)

Arsenal dominated the mid-2010s with victories in 2014, 2015, and 2017. Recent analysis shows Manchester City secured back-to-back finals appearances in 2023 and 2024, winning in 2023 before losing to Crystal Palace in 2025. Liverpool’s 2022 triumph ended a long drought for the Merseyside club.

Which Clubs Have Won the FA Cup?

Forty-five clubs have secured at least one FA Cup title since 1872. Beyond the seven clubs with seven or more titles, significant historical winners include Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers with six each, and Everton and West Bromwich Albion with five apiece.

How Have FA Cup Winners Changed Over Time?

1. 1871–1880: Wanderers FC established early dominance with five titles, while Oxford University and Royal Engineers claimed amateur-era victories.
2. 1881–1900: Blackburn Rovers secured three consecutive titles (1884–1886), the only surviving club to achieve this feat.
3. 1901–1920: Tottenham Hotspur’s 1901 victory opened the competition to non-Football League clubs; Sheffield United and Newcastle United emerged as powers.
4. 1921–1950: Arsenal’s first successes (1930, 1936) complemented Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic wartime-era victories.
5. 1951–1980: Liverpool’s breakthrough (1965) and Manchester United’s rebuilding phase established the modern hierarchy.
6. 1981–2010: Wimbledon (1988) and Coventry City (1987) secured memorable upsets before Premier League clubs consolidated control.
7. 2011–2025: Arsenal’s record-breaking 14th title (2020) and Crystal Palace’s inaugural victory (2025) bookended this period.

What Do We Know for Certain About FA Cup History?

How Does the FA Cup Winners List Reflect English Football’s Evolution?

The trajectory of FA Cup victors mirrors the sport’s transformation from amateur pastime to professional industry. Early winners like Wanderers and Oxford University represented gentleman’s clubs, while the 1880s Blackburn sides introduced working-class professionalism. The evolution of English football trophies reflects these social shifts, with the FA Cup maintaining prestige despite the rise of league championships.

Contemporary dominance by wealthy Premier League clubs contrasts sharply with the 1920s, when Second Division teams occasionally triumphed. Yet the 2025 victory by Crystal Palace—ending a long wait for a first-time winner—demonstrates the competition’s continuing capacity to produce narrative shifts.

Where Do FA Cup Statistics Come From?

Official records derive from Football Association match reports, contemporary newspaper accounts from publications like The Sportsman and Athletic News, and verified databases maintained by the Football Association and BBC Sport archives. Cross-referencing these sources confirms winner tallies, though early final scores occasionally vary between historical records.

The FA Cup remains the most coveted domestic cup competition, with records verified through official match reports and Football Association archives dating to 1871.

What Defines Success in FA Cup History?

Arsenal’s 14 titles establish the benchmark for FA Cup excellence, though Manchester United’s 13 victories and superior final appearance record ensure ongoing debate about dominance. Comparison with league success reveals that sustained cup performance requires different qualities than championship consistency. The 45 clubs crowned over 154 years represent the full spectrum of English football history, from Victorian amateurs to contemporary superclubs.

Frequently Asked Questions