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FA Cup draw live: Man Utd to face Brighton in one of four all Premier League third round fixtures

The FA Cup third round draw, which takes place before Brackley Town take on Burton Albion, will see the Premier League and Championship sides enter the tournament

Michael Jones
Monday 08 December 2025 19:22 GMT
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Holders Crystal Palace enter the draw tonight
Holders Crystal Palace enter the draw tonight (Getty Images)

Non-league Macclesfield will host FA Cup holders Crystal Palace in the third round, while Manchester United play Brighton and Tottenham face Aston Villa in two of the four all-Premier League ties.

League One’s Barnsley will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool, in a rematch of their famous FA Cup victory against the Reds in 2008, while Portsmouth, who are 22nd in the Championship, will host Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea will visit Charlton Athletic in a London derby while Manchester City will host third-tier strugglers Exeter City. Wrexham, who have enjoyed FA Cup runs in recent years and are now in the Championship, will welcome Premier League opposition in Nottingham Forest.

Of the other non-league teams in the draw, Boreham Wood will play the winner of this evening’s tie between Brackley and Burton, while Weston-Super-Mare go to Grimsby Town, who defeated Manchester United in the League Cup this season. The other all-Premier League ties are Everton v Sunderland and Newcastle v Bournemouth.

The third-round ties will be played across the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026, with games likely to run from Thursday to Monday. The full fixture schedule and the confirmation of broadcast games will be confirmed in due course.

Follow live updates from the draw below

FA Cup third round fixtures and schedule after Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal learn opponents

The draw for the third round of the FA Cup has been made, with Tottenham facing Aston Villa and Everton taking on Sunderland in all Premier League ties.

Clubs across the Premier League and Championship learned their opponents for the third round fixtures this evening, with games taking place across the weekend of Saturday, 10 January 2026.

Holders Crystal Palace begin their defence of the trophy witha trip away at Macclesfield who are one of the lowest teams left in the competition.

FA Cup third round fixtures announced as Premier League sides learn opponents

The third round sees clubs from the Championship and Premier League enter the tournament, with ties to be played across the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026
Mike Jones8 December 2025 19:14

FA Cup third round draw in full

Wolves vs Shrewsbury Town

Doncaster Rovers vs Southampton

Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Port Vale vs Fleetwood Town

Preston North End vs Wigan Athletic

Ipswich Town vs Blackpool

Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest

Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea

Manchester City vs Exeter City

West Ham vs Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford

Fulham vs Middlesbrough

Everton vs Sunderland

Liverpool vs Barnsley

Burnley vs Millwall

Norwich City vs Walsall

Portsmouth vs Arsenal

Derby County vs Leeds United

Swansea City vs West Brom

Salford City vs Swindon Town

Boreham Wood vs Brackley or Burton Albion

Grimsby Town vs Weston-Super-Mare

Hull City vs Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle vs Bournemouth

MK Dons vs Oxford United

Cheltenham Town vs Leicester City

Cambridge United vs Birmingham City

Bristol City vs Watford

Stoke vs Coventry City

Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace

Manchester United vs Brighton

Sheffield United vs Mansfield Town

Mike Jones8 December 2025 19:03

FA Cup third round draw live

Finally:

Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace

Manchester United vs Brighton

Sheffield United vs Mansfield Town

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:55

FA Cup third round draw live

Coming towards the end:

Cheltenham Town vs Leicester City

Cambridge United vs Birmingham City

Bristol City vs Watford

Stoke vs Coventry City

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:54

FA Cup third round draw live

We have:

Grimsby Town vs Weston-Super-Mare

Hull City vs Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle vs Bournemouth

MK Dons vs Oxford United

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:53

FA Cup third round draw live

Out next are:

Derby County vs Leeds United

Swansea City vs West Brom

Salford City vs Swindon Town

Boreham Wood vs Brackley or Burton

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:51

FA Cup third round draw live

Out of the pot next are:

Liverpool vs Barnsley

Burnley vs Millwall

Norwich City vs Walsall

Portsmouth vs Arsenal

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:50

FA Cup third round draw live

The next fixtures are:

West Ham vs Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford

Fulham vs Middlesbrough

Everton vs Sunderland

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:49

FA Cup third round draw live

Now we have:

Ipswich Town vs Blackpool

Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest

Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea

Manchester City vs Exeter City

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:48

FA Cup third round draw live

Out next are:

Doncaster Rovers vs Southampton

Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Port Vale vs Fleetwood Town

Preston North End vs Wigan Athletic

Mike Jones8 December 2025 18:46

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