| 1871 |
C.W. Alcock proposes establishment of a
"Challenge Cup" |
| 1872 |
Wanderers win the first final, beating Royal Engineers 1-0. |
| 1873 |
Wanderers retain the Cup, beating Oxford University |
| 1883 |
Blackburn Olympic are the first professional team to win the Cup |
| 1884 |
Queen's Park are the first non-English team to reach the final |
| 1885 |
Queen's Park are losing finalists again |
| 1886 |
Blackburn Rovers are 2nd club to win three consecutive finals (after
Wanderers) |
| 1889 |
Preston North End win the first League and Cup Double |
| 1895 |
Aston Villa's Bob Chatt scores fastest ever FA Cup final goal (30
seconds) |
| 1897 |
Preston North End beat Hyde 26-0 - an FA Cup record |
| 1901 |
Tottenham become the only non-league team to win the cup |
| 1903 |
Bury beat Derby County 6-0 in the final (a record) |
| 1910 |
Albert Shepherd of Newcastle United scores the first penalty in a final. |
| 1914 |
George V becomes the first monarch to watch the Cup Final |
| 1915 |
The "Khaki Final". In the last final before the war Sheffield
United beat Chelsea 3-0. |
| 1923 |
The
first Wembley final, also known as the White Horse final, after PC George
Scorey and his horse Billy |
| 1925 |
Teams from top 2 divisions receive exemption to the third round for the
first time. |
| 1927 |
Cardiff City become the only non-English team to win the Cup. |
| 1927 |
First ever final broadcast by BBC Radio. |
| 1933 |
Players wear
numbered shirts for the first time. |
| 1938 |
First final broadcast live on television. |
| 1945 |
FA Cup resumes after WWII |
| 1953 |
The Matthews Final. Stanley Matthews inspired Blackpool beat Bolton
Wanderers 4-3 |
| 1953 |
First FA Cup final attended by Queen Elizabeth II |
| 1958 |
Manchester United reach the final despite losing 9 first team players in
Munich air disaster. They lose 2-0 to Bolton Wanderers. |
| 1961 |
Tottenham Hotspur are the first team to win the double in the 20th
century |
| 1967 |
Substitutes for injured players are allowed for the first time |
| 1969 |
Leicester City lose their 4th Cup Final |
| 1970 |
The
first Wembley final to go to a replay. Chelsea beat Leeds in the replay at
Old Trafford |
| 1973 |
Second Division Sunderland beat First Division Leeds United 1-0 |
| 1976 |
Second Division Southampton beat First Division Manchester United 1-0 |
| 1978 |
The 50th Wembley final. Ipswich beat Arsenal |
| 1980 |
Second Division West Ham beat First Division Arsenal 1-0 |
| 1981 |
The 100th FA Cup final, and first replay at Wembley. Spurs beat Man
City. |
| 1983 |
Norman Whiteside (18) becomes the youngest player to score in a FA Cup
final |
| 1985 |
Kevin Moran of Manchester United is the first player sent off in a
final. |
| 1986 |
Liverpool beat Everton in the first all-Meseyside final, to claim the
double. |
| 1988 |
Underdogs Wimbledon beat Liverpool 1-0. |
| 1989 |
The
Hillsborough disaster. 96 fans are crushed to death at the semi-final
between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. |
| 1991 |
First semi-final played at Wembley. Tottenham defeat Arsenal. |
| 1992 |
Multiple replays replaced by a single replay followed by penalty
shoot-out. |
| 1993 |
Both semis are played at Wembley for the first time. |
| 1993 |
Arsenal are the first club to win FA Cup and League Cup double. |
| 1994 |
Manchester United complete the double after beating Chelsea. |
| 1996 |
Manchester United are the first team to win the double twice. |
| 1997 |
Ruud Gullit becomes the first non-British manager to win the cup as
Chelsea beat Middlesborough 2-0. |
| 1997 |
Roberto Di Matteo scores the fastest Wembley cup final goal (42
seconds). |
| 1998 |
Arsenal beat Newcastle to win a second league and cup double |
| 1999 |
First ever semi-final replay. Man United beat Arsenal 2-1. |
| 1999 |
Man
United beat Newcastle to record the first ever league, cup, European cup
treble. |
| 1999 |
Man United decide not to defend their FA Cup trophy in order to compete
in FIFA World Club championship. |
| 2000 |
Chelsea win the last final at the old Wembley, beating Aston Villa |
| 2001 |
First final played at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff. Liverpool defeat
Arsenal |
| 2002 |
Arsenal claim a third league and cup double. |
| 2003 |
First cup final played under a roof as Arsenal beat Southampton at the
Millenium Stadium. |
| 2005 |
First final to be decided on penalties. Arsenal beat Manchester United. |
| 2006 |
Liverpool beat West Ham on penalties after a 3-3 draw. |
| 2007 |
The final returns to Wembley. Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 after
extra time. |
