2025–26 FA Cup Fourth Round Draw: Arsenal, Chelsea Land Favourable Ties

Arsenal and Chelsea both landed Football League opposition while Liverpool will be up against Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion should they make it past Barnsley on Monday night.
Arsenal survived a scare themselves against second-tier Portsmouth to make it through for a meeting with 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic. Chelsea began life under Liam Rosenior with a thumping win over Charlton and found themselves paired with the head coach’s former employers Hull City.
The story of the third round was Macclesfield. The sixth-tier side only bought off Rightmove in 2020 conspired to convincingly dethrone FA Cup holders Crystal Palace at the start of an eventful weekend of action. Macclesfield have been treated to a fourth-round tie against another Premier League opponent in the form of Brentford.
Manchester United were one of the marquee casualties from the third round weekend, tumbling out of the competition at the hands of Brighton. The Seagulls’ reward for yet another Old Trafford triumph was a tie against the winner of Monday’s third-round tie between Liverpool and Barnsley.
2025–26 FA Cup Fourth Round Draw
- Liverpool or Barnsley vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- Stoke City vs. Fulham
- Oxford United vs. Sunderland
- Southampton vs. Leicester City
- Wrexham vs. Ipswich Town
- Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic
- Hull City vs. Chelsea
- Burton Albion vs. West Ham United
- Burnley vs. Mansfield Town
- Norwich City vs. West Bromwich Albion
- Port Vale vs. Bristol City
- Grimsby Town vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Aston Villa vs. Newcastle
- Manchester City vs. Salford or Swindon
- Macclesfield vs. Brentford
- Birmingham City vs. Leeds United
Ball Numbers for FA Cup Fourth Round Draw
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers
2. Southampton
3. Aston Villa
4. Port Vale
5. Wigan Athletic
6. Ipswich Town
7. Wrexham
8. Chelsea
9. Manchester City
10. West Ham United
11. Brentford
12. Fulham
13. Sunderland
14. Liverpool or Barnsley
15. Burnley
16. Norwich City
17. Arsenal
18. Leeds United
19. West Bromwich Albion
20. Salford City or Swindon Town
21. Burton Albion
22. Grimsby Town
23. Hull City
24. Newcastle United
25. Oxford United
26. Leicester City
27. Birmingham City
28. Bristol City
29. Stoke City
30. Macclesfield
31. Brighton & Hove Albion
32. Mansfield Town
2025–26 FA Cup Round Dates
Round | Weekend of (Saturday) |
|---|---|
First Round Proper | Nov. 1, 2025 |
Second Round Proper | Dec. 6, 2025 |
Third Round Proper | Jan. 10, 2026 |
Fourth Round Proper | Feb. 14, 2026 |
Fifth Round Proper | March 7, 2026 |
Quarterfinals | April 4, 2026 |
Semifinals | April 25, 2026 |
Final | May 16, 2026 |
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Grey Whitebloom is an Associate Editor for SI FC. He has more than half a decade of experience in sports media across all its various guises, from the fast-paced demands of news articles and match reports to in-depth research required for features. Whitebloom graduated with a First Class Honours from University College London and found himself named on the Dean’s List—which, despite his initial fears, was a form of praise rather than a punishment. He specialises in the Premier League and Champions League, while also boasting an extensive track record of La Liga coverage.