Army FA Challenge Cup Final 2026: Airborne Sappers Soar to Victory

01/06/2026  -  4.04

Alex Alexandrou

The 2026 Army FA Challenge Cup Final, was held at Winchester City FC for the first time in the competition’s history, on the 26th May. This was the 124th occasion the Final has been played.

Welcome to Winchester City FC. Source: Author's Collection

As was noted by Army FA Chair, Colonel David Jones, in his welcome speech, the Army FA Major Units Challenge Cup is one of the most prestigious and historically significant cup competitions within military and civilian football. It is one of the longest running ongoing cup competitions in world football and has the distinction of being the only cup competition that has and still is played in multiple nations. Not only within the United Kingdom but also internationally, due to where British Army personnel have and still are stationed, making this competition unique. 

There was something old and new about this Final, as the current cup holders, 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, in their traditional maroon shirts, were seeking to defend the trophy, as this was the third time in the past four seasons, the Airborne Sappers had reached the Final, having lost the 2023 Final to 3 PARA by the odd goal in five and last season being victorious over 7th Parachute RHA, 2-0 after extra-time.

This is how the 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment reached the Final:

Preliminary Round – Bye

Round 1 – Light Dragoons 0-2 23 PARA Engineer Regiment

Round 2 - 23 PARA Engineer Regiment – The Royal Dragoon Guards – Home Walkover

Round 3 – SIG Regiment 0-8 23 PARA Engineer Regiment

Quarter-Final - 23 PARA Engineer Regiment 3-1 7 AVN CS BN REME

Semi-Final – TTC Catterick 1-4 23 PARA Engineer Regiment

Whilst the new came in the form of the 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, in their yellow and blue stripped shirts, who for the first time in the team’s history had reached the Final of this prestigious competition, and now had the opportunity to make history twice by adding a new name to the Winners Honours Board.

This is how 1 RHA strode to the Final:

Preliminary Round – Bye

Round 1 – 1 RHA 6-3 1 RSME Regiment

Round 2 – 1 RHA 3-2 7 PARA RHA

Round 3 – 9 Regiment RLC 1-3 1 RHA

Quarter Final - 1 RHA 3-1 1 Lancs

Semi-Final – 1 RHA 2-0 1 Royal Welsh

The Teams Take To The Field. Source: Author's Collection

Whilst it had been sweltering in the run up to the match, the sun was beginning to set and a breeze was helping to cool all those playing and watching. It t was good to see several hundred spectators in attendance, made up of fellow soldiers and officers, Army FA sponsors, family members, friends, groundhoppers and representatives from the charity, Blind Veterans UK (formerly known as St Dunstan’s), which was founded during the First World War in 1915, to help returning soldiers who had been blinded in combat.

Two of the Blind Veterans UK Ambassadors Jules and Chris ensured the start to the match would be symbolically significant as they presented the match officials with the match ball and a special commemorative coin for the coin toss.

Blind Veterans UK Ambassador CHris Presenting the Cup Final Match Ball. Source: Author's Collection

On one side of the coin was a message in braille and on the other the image entitled – Victory over Blindness, or as it is more affectionally known as - The Lads. This image can be found outside Manchester Piccadilly Station.

Blind Veterans UK Ambassador Jules Presenting the Commemorative Cup Final Coin. Source: Author's Collection

The match officials were Ash Foster (1 Mercian). who had the honour of being the Referee, supported by Assistant Referees, Gareth Dunn (REME) and Bri Russell (RAMS) and Fourth Official, Ryan Hetherington (RLC).

Formalities sorted, the match got underway and it was obvious from the start that both teams were not going to sit back were and intent on being on the front foot. The midfield battle would prove to be significant with the number tens of both sides, engaged in a fascinating battle throughout the match with the Captain of the Airborne Sappers, Liam Silver duelling with his Gunners counterpart, Watitemwa Mkandawire, with Silver gaining the early upper hand as with no more than three minutes on the clock, he put his team 1-0 up after 1 RHA failed to clear their lines.

Airborne Sappers, Alex Williams and Ashley Tandy got into an early rhythm on the right hand side and were a menace in attack, linking up well and developing a number of passages of play with intricate passing movements that put the opposition on the back foot, whilst also ensuring they nullified the attacking intentions of 1 RHA by harrying their opponents into a number of unforced errors.

Then, just as it seemed that the 23 Parachute Engineers threatened to dominate, 1 RHA into submission, their commanding centre-half, James Thomas was adjudged to have bundled over Deylon Henry, the Gunners’ big skillful Number 9, leaving the Referee with no option but to award a penalty. This was a pivotal moment in the match, as it was still in its infancy and there was an opportunity to shift the momentum. Up stepped, 1 RHA Captain, Ferdinand Mills to take responsibility for the spot-kick. He beat the goalkeeper but also the left post, missing the target altogether. The men in the yellow and blue would not recover from this.

Whilst Deylon Henry, harassed, pressed, won headers, went on a number of mazy dribbles and hit the post, all his industry came to nothing and that was the story for 1 RHA for the rest of the first-half. Not even the weather induced water breaks allowed them to reset and try and get back into the match.

As the match progressed, the Airborne Sappers central midfield pairing of Liam Silver and Callum Vincent controlled the match with their composed and intelligent passing, organization and constant pressing, which nullified and stifled the creativity of their opposition counterparts, particularly Abiral Gurung, who in only fleeting moments, could display his skillful control and passing.

So it came to pass that the maroon tide would breach the yellow and blue defences, in the form of the diminutive but powerful Airborne Sapper striker Jordan Nicholls, who ran through the opposition defence, to slot home and double the defending holders’ lead.
1 RHA’s tricky Jerry Kyei Baffour continued to attack with powerful runs but he was consistently crowded out and unable to unlock the maroon defence that was compact and well-drilled.

The first-half ended with the Airborne Sappers 2-0 to the good but as was noted during half-time conversations, the next goal would be a clear barometer of how the match would play out.

The second-half got underway and the Gunners were immediately on the back foot as their maroon shirted opponents surged forward. With less than ten minutes played after the break, the Airborne Sappers were 3-0 ahead after Liam Silver set up Jordan Nicholls for his second goal of the game. The score did not stay the same for long, as soon after, it became 4-0 with substitute, Martin Bolstridge making an immediate impact for the defending holders, by finishing off a fine move that was orchestrated by the industrious Ashley Tandy.

Unfortunately, there was no way back for the men in yellow and blue. Deflated they may have been but their heads did not go down and they continued to try and fashion some type of response and it was that man again, Deylon Henry who was determined to get on the score sheet but unlike in the first-half, in the second period, he was denied by the crossbar, as his shot had the Airborne Sapper keeper Mitchell Smith beaten all ends up. As they say, football is all about ifs and buts and Deylon Henry can certainly testify to that, as this was not his night, despite all his endeavours.

Both sides made a number of substitutions and it is fair to say that the Airborne Sappers substitutes added further vigour whilst the Gunner substitutes had little real impact. This translated into further additions to the scoreline in the final quarter of the match. With Gunners’ goalkeeper Alex Vasper, who overall a good game, having to pick the ball out of the net twice more, when Jordan Nicholls made it 5-0 and bagged himself a hat-trick and Martin Bolstridge grabbed his second, to make the final score, 6-0.

The match was a great advertisement for The Soldiers’ Game. No quarter was given and there was plenty of quality, endeavour and sportsmanship on show.

There then followed the presentations. First up, the match officials were presented with their commemorative medals by James Kendall, FA Director of Football Development. 

Match Officials with James Kendall. Source: Author's Collection

Army FA Vice-President, Major General Jon Swift presented hat-trick hero, Jordan Nicholls with the Player of the Match Award. 

Major General Jon Swift with Hat-Trick Hero Jordan Nicholls. Source: Author's Collection

The presentation of runners-up and winners’ medals was undertaken by Pam Dowson of everywhen, one of the key sponsors of Army Football. 

The Gallant Runners-Up - 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Receiving Their Medals. Source: Author's Collection

The Victors - The Airborne Sappers Receiving Their Medals. Source: Author's Collection

Finally, Army FA Chair, Colonel David Jones, presented 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment Captain, Liam Silver, with the trophy.

Colonel David Jones with Victorious Captain Liam Silver. Source: Author' Collection

Then the celebrations began for the Airborne Sappers!

The Airborne Sappers Celebrate! Source: Author's Collection

Biography

Alex Alexandrou is Co-Founder and Chair of the Football and War Network