FA Cup fifth-round draw fixed for Monday, Feb. 16 — full ball numbers revealed
The draw for the Emirates FA Cup fifth round will be made on Monday, February 16, 2026, ahead of Macclesfield's fourth-round tie with Brentford. The draw will be held live from Macclesfield and will take place during pre-match build-up at approximately 1: 35pm ET.
When and how the draw will unfold
The draw is scheduled to occur during the pre-match coverage of the Macclesfield v Brentford fourth-round fixture and will be presented on-site by Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist. Former England internationals Joe Cole and Karen Carney will make the selections from the balls on the night.
The timing — roughly 1: 35pm ET — gives clubs and fans a clear window to plan for potential travel and preparations. The fifth-round fixtures themselves are pencilled in for the weekend of Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, 2026, with the competition progressing toward the final at Wembley on Sunday, May 16, 2026.
Who’s in the hat: full ball numbers for the fifth round
With 16 teams remaining, each has been assigned a ball number for the draw. The list below sets out the order from 1 to 16 and includes the one tie that will be resolved on Monday night (Macclesfield or Brentford) and another that depends on an ongoing tie (Port Vale or Bristol City).
- Liverpool
- Fulham
- Sunderland
- Southampton
- Wrexham
- Arsenal
- Chelsea
- West Ham United
- Mansfield Town
- Norwich City
- Port Vale or Bristol City
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Newcastle United
- Manchester City
- Macclesfield or Brentford
- Leeds United
The draw is an open one, meaning any of the teams above can be paired with any other. That setup keeps the potential for both heavyweight clashes and David-versus-Goliath ties firmly on the table as managers and supporters await Monday's proceedings.
What the draw means for clubs and supporters
For many clubs the fifth round represents a moment where league priorities and cup ambitions must be balanced. Smaller clubs that have reached this stage will weigh the financial and prestige benefits of hosting bigger opponents against the demands on their playing squad.
Fans, too, will be monitoring the outcomes closely. A favourable draw can ease travel burdens and boost ticket availability; a marquee tie can trigger a scramble both for tickets and logistics. Clubs will move quickly after the draw to confirm kick-off times and ticketing arrangements for fixtures set for the March 7–8 weekend.
Monday's live draw will resolve the final identities and set the last-16 matchups that will shape the remainder of this year's cup competition.
