On Sunday 14 May, Chelsea and Manchester United will go head-to-head in the Women’s Super League title race as they face off in the FA Cup final at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London. Kick-off is at 14:30 BST and the match will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online, with commentary available on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds. Live text coverage will be available on the BBC Sport website and app.
Chelsea are aiming to win the FA Cup for the third year in a row and the fifth time overall, while Manchester United are playing in their first women’s final. This match will be the first to use the video assistant referee (VAR) system in the Women’s FA Cup.
Manchester United will have to overcome a huge challenge to win their first major trophy, as they have never defeated Chelsea before in nine meetings in all competitions, earning just one draw and losing the other eight. However, United manager Marc Skinner is not reading too much into those previous results, believing his team of “rebels” can make history. The squad has plenty of Wembley experience, with forward Ella Toone scoring England’s opener in the Euro 2022 final and goalkeeper Mary Earps also playing. Skinner has also learned “loads” from when his Birmingham side lost to Manchester City in the 2017 final.
Chelsea have lost one final this season – to Arsenal in the Continental League Cup in March – and were narrowly beaten by Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, so will be desperate to get their hands on silverware this weekend. They have the perfect player for the big occasion in striker Sam Kerr, who has scored four goals across their past two FA Cup finals, including the extra-time winner as they beat Manchester City 3-2 last year.
Sunday’s match will make history as the first Wembley sell-out since the game was first played at the national stadium in 2015. VAR and goalline technology will also get a first run out in the competition’s history. Chelsea’s road to Wembley was paved exclusively with WSL rivals, while United did not face a top-division opponent until the last four.