Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Sat 25 April 2026 8:10, UK

Chelsea are preparing to lock horns with Leeds United at Wembley, as the pair battle for a spot in the FA Cup final.

The Whites secured their semi-final spot at the top of the month, with Daniel Farke’s side beating West Ham 4-2 on penalties.

Making the trip back to the capital, they face a Chelsea side in turmoil.

Following a 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday, the Blues swiftly acted, with Liam Rosenior losing his job after just three months at the helm.

With Callum McFarlane in charge until the end of the season, Leeds can sniff the chance to fully derail the campaign for the West London club as they do battle at Wembley.

Leeds underdogs against managerless Chelsea

Since returning from the international break, the West Yorkshire outfit have been in fine form, with seven points out of a possible nine put on the board.

Alongside this, they secured their spot at this stage of the cup in the most dramatic way possible, with a penalty shootout win at the London Stadium.

Despite the contrasting form of the pair, the latest prediction from Opta’s supercomputer still hands Chelsea the tag of favourites, with a 45.1 per cent chance of taking victory under the Wembley arch.

While the tie itself cannot end level, the chances of the bout going the distance stand at 25.4 per cent, with the remaining 29.5 per cent favouring Leeds.

The task for Leeds now is to prove the supercomputer’s prediction wrong and maintain their strong momentum.

Leeds can enjoy Wembley occasion

Promoted back to the Premier League last May, Daniel Farke’s side have re-established themselves in the top flight after overcoming an unsteady start to the campaign.

A run of draws before the recent international break had dragged the West Yorkshire club back towards the relegation battle, threatening to undo much of the progress made over the festive period and into the new year.

Since then, however, Leeds have rediscovered their edge. Victories over Manchester United and Wolves, followed by a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, have breathed fresh life into their season.

As a result, the supporters making the trip to the capital can savour the occasion, with Premier League safety now all but guaranteed.

For the first time since the 1973 FA Cup final, Leeds have the opportunity to make a significant statement and cap a memorable campaign in the best possible fashion.

The Whites have been more than competitive in the top flight, and now have the chance to build on this season’s progress – something they failed to do during their most recent Premier League spell.

But first, they have the opportunity to reap the rewards of a superb campaign when they face Chelsea at Wembley.