Akil Howson will make history in next month’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, in which he will become the first black official to feature in the showpiece.
Howson has been selected as an assistant referee for the game, which will take place at Wembley on May 16.
He will serve as one of the two assistants to referee Darren England, the other being Tim Wood.
Sam Barrott is the fourth official, with VAR duties assumed by Peter Bankes, who will receive assistance from Nick Hopton.
Competing in their fourth successive FA Cup final, City are aiming to win the competition for an eighth time, having last done so in 2023. They lost the final to Manchester United in 2024 and to Crystal Palace last year.
Chelsea are already eight-time winners, their last triumph coming back in 2018. The Blues lost three successive finals from 2020 to 2022.
A 2-1 win over Southampton saw City into the final, while Chelsea beat Leeds United 1-0. It will be the first time the two teams have met in an FA Cup final.
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What time is the FA Cup final 2026?
The FA have announced that this season’s final, which will be held on Saturday, May 16 2026, will kick off at 15:00 BST, which is 10:00 ET and 07:00 PT.
Where to watch the 2025/26 FA Cup final: TV channel
The FA Cup final will be shown live on BBC One, TNT Sports and HBO Max.
2026 FA Cup final live stream: How to watch online
In the UK, fans can stream the action via the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer app. TNT Sports and HBO Max can be streamed through the HBO Max app.
TNT Sports subscriptions start at £30.99 including Eurosport and entertainment. Both apps are available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
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