Chelsea’s Potential 2025–26 FA Cup Quarterfinal Opponents: Best, Worst Case Scenarios

Chelsea made hard work of their fifth-round meeting with Wrexham.

João Pedro (left) was on target against Wrexham. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Chelsea were made to work hard in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Wrexham pushed Liam Rosenior’s Blues to extra time, where the predictable coattails of João Pedro provided a comfortable journey into the quarterfinals.

While focus now turns to the midweek meeting with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the next order of business for Chelsea comes on Monday with the draw for the next round of the FA Cup.

So far, Chelsea have only faced Championship teams in the competition this season, but that appears destined to change in the quarterfinals.

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Chelsea’s Best Possible FA Cup Quarterfinal Draw

Port Vale are major underdogs. | Andrew Kearns/CameraSport/Getty Images

Two of the teams remaining in the FA Cup sit outside the Premier League. Southampton are battling for a spot in the Championship promotion playoffs, but it is Port Vale who stand out as the most appealing opponents.

They did just dump Sunderland out on Sunday, so Port Vale’s threat cannot be discredited, but there is no hiding from the fact they sit dead last in League One and have openly admitted frustration towards the distraction of a deep FA Cup run.

A draw against Leeds United or whichever team wins Monday’s final fifth-round tie—West Ham United host Brentford—is the sort of tie Chelsea fans would be satisfied with, particularly given the alternatives.

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Chelsea’s Worst Possible FA Cup Draw

Liam Rosenior’s side have already fallen three times to Arsenal. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

Chelsea are one of four remaining teams from the Premier League’s top six, which comes as no surprise during this late stage of the competition.

The Blues could, therefore, find themselves drawn against any of Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City in the FA Cup’s last eight, none of which sound particularly appealing on paper.

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Chelsea’s Record vs. Potential FA Cup Opponents (Last Five Games)

Potential Opponents	Chelsea Wins	Draws	Chelsea Losses
Arsenal	0	1	4
Liverpool	2	0	3
Man City	0	2	3

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Of the trio, it should come as no surprise that Chelsea would prefer to take on Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side are far from themselves this season and sit below the Blues in the Premier League standings, having lost each of the last two meetings between the two sides.

Victories have deserted Chelsea in their last five meetings with both Arsenal and Man City. Rosenior will be particularly sick of the sight of Arsenal, who won home and away in the Carabao Cup semifinals earlier this year and picked up a 2–1 win in the Premier League at the start of the month.

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When Is the 2025–26 FA Cup Quarterfinal Draw?

Chelsea fans can tune in for the quarterfinal draw on Monday, shortly before West Ham kick off against Brentford.

Things are due to get underway at 7:05 p.m. GMT (2:05 p.m. ET, 11:05 a.m.).

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