The FA Cup 2025-26 marks the tournament's 145th edition, featuring clubs across all levels of English football in pursuit of one of sport's most storied trophies. Crystal Palace, the defending champions, suffered a shocking exit to non-league Macclesfield FC in the third round, leaving the path wide open for Premier League heavyweights like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City to claim the prize.
The competition's structure showcases football at every tier. Forty-eight teams from the EFL—24 each from League One and League Two—entered the first round proper, which began in late October and early November 2025. This pyramid format regularly produces giant-killing moments that capture the sport's romance, offering smaller clubs rare opportunities to test themselves against elite opposition on the biggest stages.
Key Dates and Draws
The tournament progressed through several critical junctures. The first-round draw took place on October 13, 2025, with matches played between October 31 and November 3. The second-round draw followed on November 3, ahead of games scheduled for December 5-8. The third-round draw on December 8 produced standout ties: Chelsea hosting Wrexham, Newcastle facing Manchester City, and Arsenal traveling to Mansfield.
In the fourth round, held January 12, 2026, notable pairings included Wrexham versus Ipswich Town and Manchester City renewing their rivalry with Salford City. The quarter-final draw on March 9, 2026, set up all-Wembley semi-finals contested on April 25 and 26, with the final following thereafter.
Broadcasting and Accessibility
In the United Kingdom, matches are distributed across BBC, TNT Sports, and discovery+. The BBC broadcasts 14 live games, including two matches per round through the quarter-finals, one semi-final, and the final. TNT Sports covers selected first and second-round fixtures plus all third-round onwards games, except Saturday 3 pm blackout slots. In the United States, ESPN and its affiliated channels provide comprehensive coverage, ensuring global audiences can follow every round.
The 2025-26 season demonstrates how the FA Cup remains English football's most inclusive competition, blending minnows with monarchs in a knockout format that consistently delivers unpredictability and drama from August qualifiers through to next season's showpiece final.
