The FA Cup fixtures 2025–26 showcase the full drama of knockout football, from early-round underdog shocks to high-stakes clashes between elite clubs. This guide highlights the most important ties, explains the storylines behind each match, and helps you track dates, kick-off times, and viewing options using official schedules and live-score tools. Whether you’re following title contenders, watching for a giant-killing upset, or tracking the road to Wembley, staying updated with the latest fixtures ensures you never miss a key moment.
The FA Cup fixtures this season are packed with underdog stories, and heavyweight clashes that every football fan should keep on their radar. From early-round upsets to blockbuster quarter-finals, there are at least ten must-watch FA Cup fixtures that will define the 2025–26 campaign.
Understanding This Season’s FA Cup Fixtures
The Emirates FA Cup is a straight knockout competition, and every round has its own flavour and storylines. The schedule runs from the extra preliminary rounds, involving non-league clubs, right through to the showpiece final at Wembley.
You can always check the latest, official list of FA Cup fixtures on the Emirates FA Cup fixtures page from The Football Association, which is updated throughout the season with dates, kick-off times, and venues. For a broader overview of all rounds, including draw details and results, you can also use this detailed FA Cup 2025–26 draw, fixtures and results guide.
1. Manchester City vs Liverpool – Quarter-Final Classic in the Making
Few FA Cup fixtures capture global attention like a Manchester City vs Liverpool quarter-final. Two of the most dominant sides in modern English football collide in a tie that often feels like a final before the final. City’s control-based possession game clashes with Liverpool’s intensity, pressing, and fast transitions, creating a high-tempo match where momentum can swing rapidly.
Because this is a knockout tie, a single mistake, set piece, or refereeing decision can decide who goes through. That sense of jeopardy is what makes this fixture essential viewing for neutrals and fans alike. For confirmed dates and kick-off times, you can follow this tie on the official Emirates FA Cup fixtures list, or use broadcaster hubs like TNT Sports FA Cup fixtures & results for TV scheduling.
2. Chelsea vs Port Vale – Big Club vs Underdog Drama
Chelsea vs Port Vale is one of those classic FA Cup fixtures where a Premier League powerhouse meets a lower-league underdog. On paper, Chelsea have the stronger squad, the bigger stadium, and the deeper bench, but Port Vale enter the tie with a nothing-to-lose mindset that can make this far more competitive than expected.
Matches like this showcase the “magic of the FA Cup.” A disciplined Port Vale side that defends well, presses at the right moments, and maximises counter-attacks or set pieces can push Chelsea to the limit. Even if Chelsea progress, Port Vale’s performance and travelling support can become one of the emotional stories of the round.
If you want to track when this game is scheduled and how it fits into the wider weekend, the Sky Sports FA Cup scores & fixtures page is a convenient place to see daily and monthly listings.
3. Southampton vs Arsenal – A Quarter-Final with Giant-Killing Potential
Southampton vs Arsenal is another quarter-final that blends tradition, history, and jeopardy. Arsenal are the most successful club in FA Cup history, which means every campaign brings expectations of a deep run. Trips to face organised sides like Southampton, however, are rarely straightforward.
Southampton typically approach these fixtures with compact defending, energetic pressing, and quick attacking transitions. Arsenal try to assert themselves with technical quality and structured attacks, but the tension of a quarter-final can make them cautious at times. If Southampton score first, the atmosphere and pressure can shift dramatically.
To see where this match sits within the entire tournament, you can check the round-by-round breakdown and live scores using Goal’s FA Cup fixtures and results, which covers all fixtures for the 2025–26 season.
4. West Ham United vs Leeds United – High-Intensity Quarter-Final
West Ham vs Leeds is the kind of FA Cup fixture that promises intensity from start to finish. West Ham often combine physical strength and aerial presence with direct attacking play, while Leeds bring relentless pressing and energy that can unsettle more methodical teams.
In a quarter-final, both clubs will see this as a realistic chance to reach Wembley. That sense of opportunity raises the stakes and can produce a frenetic, emotionally charged contest. Set pieces, long-range efforts, and moments of individual brilliance frequently decide ties like this.
If you want a live-updated, easy-to-scan list of this and other quarter-final dates, ESPN’s FA Cup schedule is a useful reference, especially if you’re watching from outside the UK.
5. Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic – Fourth-Round Echoes of a Famous Upset
When Arsenal host Wigan Athletic in the fourth round, the fixture brings back memories of Wigan’s extraordinary FA Cup win in 2013. That history alone gives this tie a unique emotional charge, reminding everyone that no giant is completely safe in this competition.
Arsenal will be keen to avoid a repeat of past upsets, so expect them to field a strong side and try to control the game early. Wigan, however, know what it takes to perform under pressure against elite opposition: compact defence, high concentration, and ruthless finishing when chances appear.
For a detailed look at all fourth-round fixtures, including Arsenal vs Wigan, viewing options, and broadcast times, you can use the ESPN PH FA Cup fixtures page, which presents the schedule in a clear, calendar-style format.
6. Hull City vs Chelsea – Classic Fourth-Round “Trap Game”
Hull City vs Chelsea appears, at first glance, as a straightforward fourth-round tie favouring Chelsea. However, FA Cup history is full of instances where heavily favoured Premier League sides have slipped up in similar scenarios. A Friday-night atmosphere or a raucous home crowd can tilt the psychological balance.
Chelsea must decide how much to rotate their squad, balancing freshness with quality. Hull will likely aim to keep things tight, use set pieces effectively, and play on the counter. If Hull get an early goal or keep the game level into the final quarter, the pressure on Chelsea can grow dramatically.
This game often serves as the curtain-raiser to an FA Cup weekend. To confirm the exact time and channel for this tie and others, you can check both the FA’s Emirates FA Cup fixtures page and the TNT Sports FA Cup fixtures & results hub.
7. Aston Villa vs Newcastle United – Ambitious Clubs Collide
Aston Villa vs Newcastle United is one of the more intriguing ties in the middle rounds because both clubs have made serious efforts to climb into England’s upper competitive tier. When these two meet in a knockout environment, you get a sense of which project is further along in terms of mentality, depth, and tactical identity.
Villa’s attacking style and home advantage can create sustained pressure, but Newcastle’s intensity, physicality, and backing from away fans make them dangerous opponents. The winner not only progresses but also sends a message to the rest of the competition that they can handle high-pressure occasions.
To see how this fixture slots into the overall calendar, you can use the live and structured views offered by Soccer24’s FA Cup 2026 fixtures & schedule or FotMob’s FA Cup fixtures and results.
8. Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion – Attacking Football Showcase
Liverpool vs Brighton is a fixture that neutrals and tactically curious fans should make time for. Both clubs typically favour proactive, attacking football, with structured build-up patterns and intelligent pressing. In league meetings, these sides have often produced high-scoring, entertaining contests with plenty of chances at both ends.
In the FA Cup, the knockout nature of the tie might make each manager slightly more cautious, but the DNA of both teams still leans toward positive football. If either club decides to rotate heavily, that can also open the door for surprise performances from squad players.
For international fans wondering how and where to watch this tie and other key FA Cup fixtures, the ESPN FA Cup schedule and local broadcaster guides are good starting points.
9. Birmingham City vs Leeds United – Traditional Clubs, High Stakes
Birmingham City vs Leeds United is a Sunday fixture that brings together two historic clubs with passionate followings. These kinds of FA Cup fixtures often feature intense atmospheres, full-blooded challenges, and emotional swings that make the match compelling regardless of league position.
Leeds tend to bring high tempo and pressing to almost every game, which can force mistakes and create chaos. Birmingham, especially at home, will aim to harness the energy of their supporters, stay compact, and attack quickly when opportunities arise. A single goal can completely change the character of a match like this.
If you want a traditional, BBC-style presentation of this fixture alongside others on the same weekend, visit the BBC Sport FA Cup scores & fixtures page. It lays out fixtures by date and gives you a clear snapshot of who’s playing when.
10. Early-Round Underdog Ties – Where the Magic Begins
While the latter rounds feature blockbuster clashes, some of the best narratives in the FA Cup start in the early rounds. Non-league or semi-professional clubs face sides from higher divisions, and the gulf in funding, facilities, and squad depth is often huge. Yet, every season, early-round fixtures produce shocks: last-minute winners, heroic goalkeeping displays, and dramatic replays.
These matches are essential viewing if you love discovering lesser-known teams, small but atmospheric grounds, and players who may be juggling football with full-time jobs. Early rounds often provide some of the most emotional and authentic moments of the entire competition. Watching an underdog take a bigger club to a replay, or even knock them out, is the purest expression of the FA Cup’s spirit.
To track these ties, it helps to use live-score platforms that list every single fixture, including lower divisions. The Flashscore FA Cup fixtures page and Soccer24 FA Cup fixtures & schedule both allow you to scroll across rounds, see upcoming games, and follow scores in real time.
How to Follow All FA Cup Fixtures This Season
Because the FA Cup runs over many months and involves clubs from multiple tiers, having a handful of reliable resources makes it much easier to keep up.
- Official schedule and authority
For the definitive list of FA Cup fixtures, round by round, use the FA’s own Emirates FA Cup fixtures page, plus their separate FA Cup round dates overview that outlines the calendar from early rounds to the final. - Broadcasters and TV-friendly schedules
If you like to plan around television coverage, Sky Sports FA Cup scores & fixtures gives you UK-centric listings, while TNT Sports FA Cup fixtures & results focuses on their broadcast portfolio. - Live scores and data-heavy views
For quick checks on today’s and tomorrow’s matches, Flashscore’s FA Cup fixtures, Soccer24 FA Cup 2026 fixtures & schedule, and Soccerway’s FA Cup 2026 fixtures and results all provide structured, data-rich views of upcoming and completed games. - Global and regional viewers
International fans can turn to ESPN’s FA Cup schedule or the region-tailored ESPN PH FA Cup fixtures page to see which FA Cup fixtures are available in their territory. - Full guide articles
For an editorial-style overview of each round—draws, key ties, and results—this FA Cup 2025–26 fixtures and results guide on Goal brings everything into one place and is ideal as a supporting external resource within your article.
Conclusion
The 2025–26 FA Cup fixtures offer everything fans love about knockout football: heavyweights facing off in high-stakes quarter-finals, ambitious mid-table projects testing themselves against elite opposition, and early-round ties where underdogs dream of giant-killing glory. Whether you are following Manchester City vs Liverpool at the sharp end of the competition or scanning the schedule for the next non-league fairy tale, staying close to reliable fixtures resources ensures you never miss a key moment.
If you are also an Aussie Rules fan and want to keep up with the latest from the AFL, it is worth checking out match coverage beyond English football. For example, you can get a dedicated breakdown of the Adelaide Crows’ latest result, key moments, and standout performers in this detailed guide: Adelaide Crows Game Today: Score, Highlights and Match Update. This kind of cross-code coverage is perfect if you enjoy tracking both FA Cup drama and up-to-the-minute updates from the AFL landscape.
FAQs About FA Cup Fixtures
What are FA Cup fixtures?
They are the scheduled matches in the Emirates FA Cup, showing teams, dates, times, and venues for each round.
Where can I find the official fixtures list?
On The FA’s official website, which provides the most up-to-date schedule.
How often are fixtures updated?
They change after each round draw, TV selection, or rescheduling event.
When are matches usually played?
Most are played on weekends, with some moved to Friday nights or midweek.
How are fixtures decided?
Through an open draw, with random pairings and home advantage given to the first team drawn.
Do fixtures include replays?
Some rounds may include replays, while later rounds use extra time and penalties.
Why do fixture dates change?
Due to TV broadcasts, stadium issues, or clashes with other competitions.
How can I see which matches are on TV?
Check schedules from Sky Sports, TNT Sports, BBC, and other broadcasters.
Are early-round matches televised?
Only selected games are shown, but highlights packages cover more fixtures.
How do fixtures affect league schedules?
They can cause postponements and fixture congestion for progressing teams.
Are matches ever played at neutral venues?
Yes—semi-finals and the final are held at Wembley Stadium.
How far in advance are fixtures announced?
Round dates are known early, but exact matches and times follow each draw.
Where can I track live scores?
Use live-score apps and websites for real-time updates and stats.
Do matches include extra time and penalties?
Yes—if level after 90 minutes, matches go to extra time and possibly penalties.
How can international fans follow fixtures?
Through global broadcasters, regional sports networks, and live-score platforms online.