The 2026 BFFA Cup Final

The last piece of silverware has a home, and we are here to announce the winner.

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Gameweek 38

The Road to the Final

Round	Preliminary Version	Sporting Wicker Park
First Round	Bye	Bye
Second Round	Won 64 – 54 vs. Peltier	Won 62 – 51 vs. All Star Gunners
Third Round	Won 77 – 65 vs. GoFYS FC	Won 55 – 46½ vs. Hung Like A Bony
Quarter-Finals	Won 53½ – 53 vs. Smash & Grab	Won 50 – 48½ vs. Sporting Thrilhaus
Semi-Finals	Won 67 – 52 vs. Beyer Neverleusen	Won 59 – 57½ vs. Mighty Fine

The Teams

Preliminary Version have moved from the 4-3-3 to an attacking 3-3-4 for the Cup Final. Their new-look defence remained built around two City defenders, albeit two new signings Lewis and Dias, and saw the introduction of Andy Robertson for his farewell match at Anfield. Lammens also replaced Petrovic at the back and Gabriel Jesus was brought in at the expense of GW38 opponent Strand Larsen.

Sporting Wicker Park have kept five in midfield, Bernardo Silva and Mac Allister keeping their places in the line-up. Gallagher, McGinn and Watkins were dropped to the bench. Replacing Watkins up front, Matheus Cunha was brought into the starting line-up and Nmecha was picked up in an exchange that involved defenders Maguire and Botman. Mavropanos got a recall to the side after being involved in the Quarter-Finals but snubbed for the Semis.

The Final

With the 2026 BFFA Cup Final landing on the final gameweek of the season, a very dramatic afternoon gave us all ten Premier League games played simultaneously.

The Final started well for recently-promoted Prelim. With Tijjani Reijnders assisting Semenyo in the 23rd-minute and Gabriel Jesus opening the scoring just before the break at Selhurst Park, Prelim took a lead into the break.

When the teams returned, Spurs (featuring SWP’s Conor Gallagher) were leading and West Ham were facing relegation. Wicker Park were monitoring Mavropanos and West Ham’s ability to keep their net empty and Prelim were urging Ndiaye to ruin Gallagher’s comeback. The next goal to go in came from Jesus’ Arsenal teammate and Cup Final rival – Madueke, who made it 2-0 to the EPL Champions and 1-1 in the Cup Final. However, six short minutes after Sporting Wicker Park equalised, Marcus Tavernier found the net for Bournemouth in their hunt for European football next season. 2-1.

And so the final day rolled on with Preliminary Version holding the lead all the way through to the final whistle. Brentford scored and wiped a clean sheet from both teams. Aston Villa scored two second half goals, ruining Pep’s send-off and Prelim’s back three, while Sunderland did the same thing against Wicker Park’s ‘keeper. In the end, both teams finished with a defensive clean sheet – Mavropanos kept it together for West Ham and Lammens kept it clean for Preliminary Version.

While the TV cameras were showing the Lilywhites were on their knees, crying, and West Ham fans getting to their feet, also crying, Preliminary Version were leading the Cup Final 52 – 50½. Then the substitutes were processed. Preliminary Version had used all eleven players, but Cunha had not been used in United’s 3-0 win at the Amex, and that allowed one of Wicker Park’s three substitutes to be brought on, and all three had enough points to steal the win away from their Championship rivals. The #1 bench seat was occupied by a player mentally preparing for the World Cup and was not expecting to play this weekend. That player was Ollie Watkins, who had previously scored on BFFA Cup Final weekend in Season 7, and this year he found the net twice for Aston Villa. His final day brace gave the Villains 4th place in the Premier League and gave Sporting Wicker Park a long-awaited BFFA Cup.

Final Score:
Preliminary Version 52 – 65 Sporting Wicker Park

Goals:
Preliminary Version: G. Jesus (42′), M. Tavernier (54′)
Sporting Wicker Park: Watkins (47′, 61′), Madueke (48′)
Assists:
Preliminary Version: Reijnders (23′)
Sporting Wicker Park: None

	Preliminary Version	Sporting Wicker Park
Score	52	65
Goals	2	3
Assists	1	0
Shots-on-Target	6	7
Key Passes	14	15
GK/DEF Clean Sheets	1	1
GK Saves	2	5
Minutes Played	826	860
Player of the Match	Marcus Tavernier 13 FPts	🏅 Ollie Watkins 14½ FPts