Who is Calum McFarlane? Meet Chelsea’s unlikely FA Cup final coach after Maresca and Rosenior sackings

At the beginning of the season no one in the world of soccer knew the name Calum McFarlane. After two stints as care taker of Chelsea, McFarlane finds himself on the verge of patrolling the touch line from Wembley Stadium during an FA Cup final.

FA Cup final reunion for McFarlane

McFarlane has never been to Wembley as anything other than a spectator, but recent events have launched the former Lambeth Tigers coach into the limelight. It started with the sacking of Enzo Maresca back in January. McFarlane was named care taker in January and spent two matches in charge of the squad. His first match was against a living legend on the touchline, but his Chelsea side managed a 1-1 draw against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. They would lose to Fulham before Liam Rosenior took control at Stamford Bridge.

Before coming to Chelsea in the summer 2025, McFarlane spent time rising up the ranks at the academy level. After stints with non-league side Croydon and then Whyteleafe he went to Manchester City and worked in an assistant role for the academy. Southampton came calling a couple year later, and appointed him head of the U-18 side before getting promoted to the U-21s in 2025.

McFarlane would attract the attention of Chelsea, who lured him away from Southampton in the summer of 2025. He was named as the coach of the U-21 team at Chelsea, but just six months later he was put in charge of the first team for a couple of matches following the firing of Enzo Maresca.

Second time’s a charm?

Rosenior came in looking to turn things around, but a disastrous run of five league matches without a win or a single goal scored did the former Strasbourg boss in and McFarlane was named care taker for the second time. The fact that Chelsea have needed two care takers in the same season doesn’t paint the best of pictures of the current situation at the club, but for McFarlane this has been an opportunity and he is taking full advantage.

Once Rosenior was appointed, McFarlane was named to his back room staff, and when Rosenior was let go on April 22nd, it was once again McFarlane who was called upon to serve as care taker. ”It’s a whirlwind, but what happens, happens," he said. “I know it’s been tough recently but there’s a lot of talent,” said the interim manager after being appointed for the second time this season.

Since taking over for the remainder of the season, McFarlane led Chelsea past Leeds United in the FA Cup semifinal before losing to Nottingham Forest, and getting a draw against Liverpool at Anfield in the league. Now the former non-league assistant is on his way to Wembley as the interim manager of Chelsea, looking to bring the club their first FA Cup since 2018.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.