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Football Insider

Exciting FA Cup Third Round Draw Unveiled: Arsenal Set to Face Portsmouth, Crystal Palace to Take on Macclesfield

The FA Cup third round draw has set the stage for thrilling matchups as Premier League leaders Arsenal gear up to travel to Championship side Portsmouth, while holders Crystal Palace are scheduled to face non-league outfit Macclesfield. Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and other top English clubs also discovered their opponents in this highly anticipated round.

Exciting FA Cup Third Round Draw Unveiled: Arsenal Set to Face Portsmouth, Crystal Palace to Take on Macclesfield

Premier League leaders Arsenal will travel to Championship side Portsmouth in round three of the FA Cup, while holders Crystal Palace head to non-league outfit Macclesfield. English giants Manchester City and Liverpool host League One teams Exeter and Barnsley respectively and Manchester United take on Brighton in an all-Premier League affair.Before the draw was made on Monday evening, FA Cup holders Crystal Palace were given the number 13 ball, while Premier League leaders Arsenal were 2 and 2024 winners Manchester United were 23. National League South side Weston-super-Mare (49) are into the third round for the first time in their entire 138-year history, while Macclesfield (45) and Boreham Wood (51) are the other two non-league teams to reach the third round of the competition. Finally, Brackley Town (58) can join them as they host Burton Albion in the final second round tie on Monday night.1. AFC Bournemouth2. Arsenal3. Aston Villa4. Birmingham City5. Blackburn Rovers6. Brentford7. Brighton & Hove Albion8. Bristol City9. Burnley10. Charlton Athletic11. Chelsea12. Coventry City13. Crystal Palace14. Derby County15. Everton16. Fulham17. Hull City18. Ipswich Town19. Leeds United20. Leicester City21. Liverpool22. Manchester City23. Manchester United24. Middlesbrough25. Millwall26. Newcastle United27. Norwich City28. Nottingham Forest29. Oxford United30. Portsmouth31. Preston North End32. Queens Park Rangers33. Sheffield United34. Sheffield Wednesday35. Southampton36. Stoke City37. Sunderland38. Swansea City39. Tottenham Hotspur40. Watford41. West Bromwich Albion42. West Ham United43. Wolverhampton Wanderers44. Wrexham45. Macclesfield46. Grimsby Town47. Shrewsbury Town48. Swindon Town49. Weston Super Mare50. Barnsley51. Boreham Wood52. Milton Keynes Dons53. Wigan Athletic54. Fleetwood Town55. Salford City56. Mansfield Town57. Cambridge United58. Brackley Town or Burton Albion59. Blackpool60. Walsall61. Exeter City62. Cheltenham Town63. Doncaster Rovers64. Port ValeIn the draw, there are four all Premier League ties, with Tottenham hosting Aston Villa, Everton entertaining Sunderland, Bournemouth travelling to Newcastle United and Brighton making the trip to Old Trafford. As mentioned above, former Premier League stalwart Portsmouth get to host Arsenal, a side they played many times earlier this century. Elsewhere, there could be a non-league battle if Brackley beat League One Burton, with the winner facing National League outfit Boreham Wood. The draw is as follows, with the Premier League teams in bold.Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury TownDoncaster Rovers v SouthamptonTottenham Hotspur v Aston VillaPort Vale v Fleetwood TownPreston North End v Wigan AthleticIpswich Town v BlackpoolWrexham v Nottingham ForestCharlton Athletic v ChelseaManchester City v Exeter CityWest Ham United v Queens Park RangersSheffield Wednesday v BrentfordFulham v MiddlesbroughEverton v SunderlandLiverpool v BarnsleyBurnley v MillwallNorwich City v WalsallPortsmouth v ArsenalDerby County v Leeds UnitedSwansea City v West Bromwich AlbionSalford City v Swindon TownBoreham Wood v Brackley Town or Burton AlbionGrimsby Town v Weston-super-MareHull City v Blackburn RoversNewcastle United v BournemouthMK Dons v Oxford UnitedCheltenham Town v Leicester CityCambridge United v Birmingham CityBristol City v WatfordStoke City v Coventry CityMacclesfield v Crystal PalaceManchester United v BrightonSheffield United v Mansfield TownLooking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Former England team-mates Joe Cole and Peter Crouch did the honours at the third round draw, and now both have given their take on what lies ahead.The former winger Cole said on TNT Sports: "Charlton v Chelsea is a good draw. For clubs like Chelsea and all the top clubs, you want a home draw, you don't want to be travelling too far in January. It's a derby, it's great for Charlton, a good London derby."And ex-striker Crouch added: "Newcastle v Bournemouth will be a good one. Liverpool as well, I played in one against Barnsley and I think they knocked us out. We played Havant & Waterlooville and then we lost to Barnsley at Anfield."The third round fixtures are scheduled to be held between January 9-12, 2026, adding to English teams' busy schedules over the festive period and the new year. Incidentally, Ally McCoist added: "Tottenham against Aston Villa is a brilliant tie, that is the one that stands out more than anything. Charlton v Chelsea a London derby, but there are some great ties. Everton v Sunderland's a big one, Sunderland going well and so are Everton."

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Premier League Heavyweights and Underdogs Set for Clash

The draw for the FA Cup third round witnessed intriguing fixtures with Premier League leaders Arsenal locking horns with Championship side Portsmouth. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace, the holders of the FA Cup, have an intriguing matchup against non-league team Macclesfield. The likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Manchester United also have promising ties against lower league opposition, promising an array of exciting matchups.

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Underdogs and Non-League Teams Eye Upsets

National League South side Weston-super-Mare have created history by reaching the third round for the first time in their 138-year existence. Macclesfield and Boreham Wood are the other two non-league teams that have progressed to the third round. Additionally, Brackley Town has the chance to join them as they host Burton Albion in a intense second round clash.

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Notable FA Cup Third Round Fixtures

The FA Cup third round draw unveiled exciting matchups, including Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa, Everton vs. Sunderland, Bournemouth vs. Newcastle United, and Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United. With Portsmouth hosting Arsenal, old adversaries are set to reignite their rivalry in what promises to be a feisty encounter.

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Insights from Former Players

Former England stars Joe Cole and Peter Crouch shared their thoughts on the upcoming FA Cup fixtures. Cole highlighted the significance of London derby between Charlton and Chelsea, whereas Crouch mentioned the Newcastle vs. Bournemouth tie as one to watch. Excitement is building for football enthusiasts as the action-packed third round approaches.

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Exciting Schedule Ahead

The third round fixtures of the FA Cup are slated to take place between January 9-12, 2026, adding to the already congested schedule of English clubs during the festive period. With prominent matchups on the horizon, football fans can expect thrilling encounters and potential upsets as the FA Cup drama unfolds.

Published on Dec 8, 2025