Non-league Macclesfield to host cup holders Palace

The FA CupImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The 20 winners of the second-round ties are joined by all 20 Premier League clubs and 24 Championship teams in the third round

Sixth-tier club Macclesfield will host holders Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup.

There are four all-Premier League ties, including Tottenham hosting Aston Villa, Sunderland travelling to Everton, Newcastle welcoming Bournemouth to St James' Park, and Manchester United at home to Brighton.

Another sixth-tier side,Weston-super-Mare, who have reached this stage of the competition for the first time in their 138-year history, travel to League Two Grimsby.

Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Portsmouth, while Manchester City host League One team Exeter City and Liverpool are at home to third-tier Barnsley.

In the other ties involving top-flight clubs, there are two London derbies as Chelsea travel to Charlton and West Ham host Queens Park Rangers, while Fulham play Middlesbrough and Leeds take on Derby County.

National League club Boreham Wood, the only other non-league side left in the draw, will take on Burton Albion, who beat Brackley on Monday.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 10 January 2026.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout.

Robbie Savage: Managing Macclesfield FC

04/12/25

FA Cup third-round draw in full

  • Wolves v Shrewsbury Town

  • Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

  • Tottenham v Aston Villa

  • Port Vale v Fleetwood

  • Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

  • Ipswich Town v Blackpool

  • Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

  • Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

  • Manchester City v Exeter City

  • West Ham v Queens Park Rangers

  • Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

  • Fulham v Middlesbrough

  • Everton v Sunderland

  • Liverpool v Barnsley

  • Burnley v Millwall

  • Norwich v Walsall

  • Portsmouth v Arsenal

  • Derby County vLeeds United

  • Swansea v West Brom

  • Salford v Swindon

  • Boreham Wood v Burton Albion

  • Grimsby v Weston-super-Mare

  • Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

  • Newcastle United v Bournemouth

  • MK Dons v Oxford United

  • Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

  • Cambridge United v Birmingham City

  • Bristol City v Watford

  • Stoke City v Coventry

  • Macclesfield v Crystal Palace

  • Manchester United v Brighton

  • Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

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