The Emirates FA Cup third round draw has officially taken place, setting the stage for an exciting weekend of football. Scheduled for January 10 and 11, 2026, the draw features 32 intriguing matchups, with clubs from the English Premier League and EFL Championship joining the competition at this stage.
Key Matches and Highlights
The draw, conducted live on TNT Sports, featured former FA Cup winners Peter Crouch and Joe Cole selecting the ties. One of the standout fixtures includes defending champions Crystal Palace, who will start their title defense against non-League side Macclesfield FC.
Notable Derbies
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Shrewsbury Town
- Preston North End vs. Wigan Athletic
- West Ham United vs. Queens Park Rangers
- Charlton Athletic vs. Chelsea
In total, the draw includes four all-Premier League encounters and five all-Championship matches, highlighting the diverse and competitive nature of this year’s tournament.
Full Fixture List
| Match Number | Fixture |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Shrewsbury Town |
| 2 | Doncaster Rovers vs. Southampton |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa |
| 4 | Port Vale vs. Fleetwood Town |
| 5 | Preston North End vs. Wigan Athletic |
| 6 | Ipswich Town vs. Blackpool |
| 7 | Wrexham vs. Nottingham Forest |
| 8 | Charlton Athletic vs. Chelsea |
| 9 | Manchester City vs. Exeter City |
| 10 | West Ham United vs. Queens Park Rangers |
| 11 | Sheffield Wednesday vs. Brentford |
| 12 | Fulham vs. Middlesbrough |
| 13 | Everton vs. Sunderland |
| 14 | Liverpool vs. Barnsley |
| 15 | Burnley vs. Millwall |
| 16 | Norwich City vs. Walsall |
| 17 | Portsmouth vs. Arsenal |
| 18 | Derby County vs. Leeds United |
| 19 | Swansea City vs. West Bromwich Albion |
| 20 | Salford City vs. Swindon Town |
| 21 | Boreham Wood vs. Burton Albion |
| 22 | Grimsby Town vs. Weston Super Mare |
| 23 | Hull City vs. Blackburn Rovers |
| 24 | Newcastle United vs. AFC Bournemouth |
| 25 | MK Dons vs. Oxford United |
| 26 | Cheltenham Town vs. Leicester City |
| 27 | Cambridge United vs. Birmingham City |
| 28 | Bristol City vs. Watford |
| 29 | Stoke City vs. Coventry City |
| 30 | Macclesfield vs. Crystal Palace |
| 31 | Manchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 32 | Sheffield United vs. Mansfield Town |
Details regarding the full schedule will be released in the coming weeks. This is shaping up to be a memorable third round match-up weekend for fans and players alike.
