Darren England Named Referee for the 2026 FA Cup Final
The man in the middle has been confirmed. The Football Association have officially announced their officiating team for the 2026 Emirates FA Cup Final — and Darren England will take centre stage at Wembley on May 16.
England will referee the final between Chelsea and Manchester City on Saturday, May 16, kicking off at 3pm BST — his first appointment as referee for an FA Cup Final, having previously served as fourth official at the 2025 Final and as an assistant referee at the 2015 Final.
England was appointed as a Premier League referee in August 2020 after working as an assistant referee in the top flight between 2012 and 2015, and was added to FIFA’s list of international referees in 2022. He arrives at Wembley with considerable big-match experience and has officiated several of Manchester City’s games across the current season.
England oversaw City’s outings against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Brentford, and Brighton this season. City have won 11 and drawn one of their games under his watch, with their only defeat coming early in the season against Brighton.
The appointment also carries historic significance beyond England himself. Akil Howson has been named as an assistant referee and will become the first Black official to be involved in the officiating of an FA Cup Final — a landmark moment for the game in England.
The full officiating team is: assistants Tim Wood and Akil Howson, fourth official Sam Barrott, reserve assistant referee Steve Meredith, VAR Peter Bankes, and assistant VAR Nick Hopton.
Chelsea reached the final under interim head coach Calum McFarlane, following the sacking of Liam Rosenior, beating Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley in the semi-final. For City, the final is sandwiched between a gruelling sequence of Premier League fixtures as they chase both the title and a cup double — making every decision on May 16 potentially pivotal in shaping their entire season.
Darren England steps into the spotlight. Wembley awaits.