Chelsea FC or Manchester City FC will lift the iconic silverware at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Saturday, 16 May. Fans of each club affected by dementia have had the chance to see it up close and meet legendary players of the clubs as part of the official charity partnership between The FA and Alzheimer’s Society.
The cup visited an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Cafe session at the St Vincent's House Day Centre in Hammersmith and Fulham, and attendees were also surprised by special guest Paul Canoville who played over 100 times for The Blues during the 1980s.
Those in attendance took part in football-related activities including a question-and-answer session with the former winger about his time at Chelsea FC and the Emirates FA Cup, and they also had their photos taken with the trophy.
Paul Canoville said: "I didn’t know too much about dementia and what it means for those living with it and their families, but I came out of this event understanding and feeling so much more.
"The FA and Alzheimer’s Society are using football to break down barriers and to make sure nobody feels alone in what they’re going through. Football is a language that cuts through everything, and you should’ve seen the faces when I walked into the room with the FA Cup trophy.
"Thank you to The FA, Chelsea FC, and everyone at Alzheimer’s Society for thinking of me for this event and welcoming me like family - it means more than I can say."
The trophy then went to an Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain session at the Humphrey Park Community Centre in Manchester, and this time it was walked out by Shaun Wright-Phillips who notably won the competition for both Manchester City and Chelsea.
Singing for the Brain is an uplifting and stimulating group activity for people affected by dementia which is built around music and songs as they access and engage different parts of the brain.
This bespoke event included various football songs, and fans of the Sky Blues and the Emirates FA Cup also had their own chance to take pictures with the historic trophy.
Shaun Wright-Phillips said: "It’s the first time I’ve ever been to anything like this and it’s awesome to see what music does for everybody. You can see the smiles on their faces remembering the songs and even some dance moves which brings so much joy to them. That’s the great thing about music - there’s always a place for it in your journey through life and it always brings you back somewhere."
Michelle Dyson CB, Chief Executive Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, added: "Local services are a vital part of the support we offer people affected by dementia, offering a listening ear, advice, and the chance to socialise. The visit of the Emirates FA Cup and former players to our services in Chelsea and Manchester has been a fantastic, unique opportunity made possible thanks to our partnership with The FA. We are grateful to have collaborated with them on awareness-raising activities like this this since 2021, ensuring fans with dementia remain part of the game."
The 2026 Emirates FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City will kick-off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, 16 May. It will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, BBC One, iPlayer, BBC 5 Live, talkSPORT and local BBC Radios.
If you’re worried about dementia, you can call Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456 or visit www.alzheimers.org.uk for more information on support and services available to you.
