The FA Cup is the oldest national football competition in the world, having first been contested in the 1871-72 season. For much of football history, FA Cup final day has been one of the most important days of the domestic season, with fans of both teams, as well as neutrals around the world, tuning in to watch.
While the FA Cup doesn't quite have the same prestige it once had, especially compared to the lucrative Premier League or European competitions, the cup is still massively important to fans of many teams, and cup final day in May continues to be a special event for the fans and teams that make it to Wembley Stadium.
Part of the charm of the competition are the dramatic twists and the Cinderella runs of lower division and lesser fancied teams that capture the imagination of fans around the world with unexpected cup runs.
But the last time a club from outside the top division won the competition was West Ham (1979-80), and the last time a team from a lower division made the final was Cardiff City in 2007-08.
With the 2021-22 edition of the competition wrapping up, The Sporting News looks back at the long history of the FA Cup to see which club has had the honour of hoisting it more times than any other.
Which team has won the most FA Cups?
The team with the most FA Cup wins is Arsenal, hoisting the trophy 14 times in club history.
The North London club won their first FA Cup in 1930, and most recently lifted the trophy in 2020. Many of Arsenal's FA Cup wins have come in recent years, with the Gunners lifting the trophy eight times in the 22 editions spanning 1998 to 2020.
Their period of recent success coincided with Arsene Wenger's time as Arsenal manager, when he regularly found himself lifting the cup. The period was marked by a rivalry with Manchester United, particularly earlier in his time at the club. The two teams found themselves regularly competing for both Premier League and FA Cup silverware.
United are the team with the next most FA Cup triumphs, having won the competition 12 times. They lifted their first FA Cup in 1909, and their most recent success came in 2016.
Between 1998 and 2005, the competition was won by one of these two teams six times, with Arsenal beating United in the 2005 final on penalties, after a 0-0 draw.
Which manager has won the most FA Cups?
Unsurprisingly, Arsene Wenger is the manager with the most FA Cup wins to his name, having won the showpiece event seven times during his stint as Arsenal manager.
Wenger is also the manager to have won the final at both old and new Wembley stadia, and at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where it was held during the construction of the new Wembley Stadium.
The manager with the next most FA Cup wins is George Ramsay, whose Aston Villa side won the trophy six times between 1887 and 1920.
In modern football, Sir Alex Ferguson is the next most successful FA Cup manager after Wenger. During his spell in the Old Trafford dugout, he won the trophy five times (1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, and 2004).
Which player has won the most FA Cups?
The player with the most success in the FA Cup is Ashley Cole.
The England left back was part of the Arsenal side in the early 2000s, winning the trophy in 2002, 2003, and 2005.
He made a controversial move to Chelsea, where he won the trophy four more times in the following years: 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012.
Liverpool win 8th FA Cup trophy
Liverpool caught up to Chelsea and Liverpool with eight FA Cup trophies after downing the Blues on penalty kicks in the 2022 final.
The Reds had last won the trophy in 2006, winning that one on penalty kicks as well. West Ham was on the losing end of that final, but that match finished 3-3 after extra time.
Liverpool now trail only Manchester United (12) and Arsenal (14) for most FA Cup trophies in history.
How many teams have won the FA Cup?
Given the history of the competition, the cup has changed hands many times over the years. In total, 44 teams have won the competition since that first final in 1872.