This weekend marks the beginning of the 3rd round
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The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly referred to as the FA Cup, is the oldest football tournament in the world. Since its inception in 1871, teams from England and Wales have competed annually (with exceptions during world wars) for this prestigious trophy. This season, the FA Cup commenced in August with a remarkable 732 teams vying for advancement to the first round proper, which started in November. The competition now heats up as the top teams enter in the third round, kicking off this weekend. It’s a tournament steeped in football tradition and legacy, but which clubs have claimed the most titles throughout its history?
Clubs with the Most FA Cup Victories
At the top of the list of FA Cup winners is Arsenal, who have lifted the trophy a staggering 14 times. Their most recent victory was under Mikel Arteta in 2020, where they triumphed over Chelsea 2-1 in the final, thanks to a brace from former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. During his 22-year tenure, ex-manager Arsène Wenger led the club to seven FA Cup titles, making him the most successful manager in the tournament’s history, with wins in 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, and 2017.
Following closely is Manchester United, the current holders of the FA Cup and the club with the most Premier League titles, having secured 13 FA Cup wins. Their latest title was achieved under Erik ten Hag, where they defeated their city rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the final last May. Three clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham, each have eight FA Cups, but Liverpool takes third place due to their more recent victory, winning against Chelsea in the 2022 final on penalties. Chelsea’s last triumph was in 2018 against Manchester United, placing them fourth, while Tottenham last won in 1991.
Two teams have claimed seven FA Cup titles each; Manchester City, who are the 2023 champions, hold the sixth position, while Aston Villa, last crowned champions in 1957, come in seventh. Pep Guardiola’s City has won the tournament twice in the last five seasons, while Villa reached the final most recently in 2015, ultimately losing 4-0 to Arsenal. Lastly, there are two clubs with six FA Cup titles: Newcastle, who last won in 1955, are eighth, and Blackburn, who have not lifted the trophy since 1928, are ninth.
