FA Cup draw: Mansfield to host Arsenal as Man City head to Newcastle
The FA Cup fifth-round draw produced a mix of glamour ties and giant-killing storylines on Monday, setting up eight matches for the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 (ET). League One Mansfield Town will welcome 14-time winners Arsenal, while Manchester City are away to Newcastle United in a top-flight repeat. Championship side Wrexham were drawn at home to Chelsea.
Mansfield land headline tie after historic run
Mansfield Town's reward for a stunning fourth-round upset is a trip back into the national spotlight. The League One side stunned Premier League Burnley with a 2-1 comeback at Turf Moor to reach the fifth round for the first time since 1975, and the draw handed them one of the competition's most recognisable names in Arsenal. The prospect of the Stags hosting a powerhouse side guarantees an electric atmosphere and a genuine David v Goliath occasion on Mansfield's home turf.
For Arsenal, a visit to a lower-league ground always carries the risk of an FA Cup banana skin, but it is also an opportunity to rotate and blood squad players while pursuing a run deep into the competition. The fixture captures the romance of the Cup: small-club history versus big-club tradition.
Premier League rematch and other big ties
One of two all-Premier League ties sees Manchester City travel to Newcastle United, renewing a rivalry that has delivered high-stakes drama across cup and league competitions this season. It is a repeat fixture of an earlier domestic cup duel, guaranteeing intensity and tactical intrigue as both clubs chase silverware on multiple fronts.
Wolverhampton Wanderers drew Liverpool in another high-profile clash, while Fulham host Southampton in a south-coast meeting. West Ham United will face either Macclesfield or Brentford, with that fourth-round tie still to be decided. Sunderland were handed an away tie to either Port Vale or Bristol City; that fourth-round match had been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch and is rescheduled for Tuesday, March 3 at 2: 45 PM ET.
Wrexham, who secured promotion to the Championship last season and have emerged as one of the competition's feelgood stories, will welcome Chelsea. The pairing revives a long gap between competitive meetings and will attract attention given Wrexham's recent rise through the football pyramid and Chelsea's cup pedigree.
Logistics, prize money and what comes next
All eight fifth-round ties are provisionally scheduled for the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 (ET), with final kick-off times to be confirmed following discussions between clubs, local authorities and broadcast partners. Clubs progressing from the fifth round will each receive a prize fund payment designed to support their cup runs.
The draw was conducted ahead of a separate fourth-round fixture and sets up a compelling next weekend of fixtures as teams across divisions chase a place in the quarter-finals. For lower-league sides, the draw provides both a financial boost and a rare opportunity to test themselves against top-level opposition on a national stage; for elite clubs it offers a chance to bolster their trophy cabinets while juggling busy domestic calendars.
With marquee matchups and classic cup narratives now confirmed, attention will turn to ticketing, travel and squad preparation as clubs map out their routes through the knockout landscape. The FA Cup's fifth round promises to deliver the upsets, big nights and drama that have made the competition a highlight of the football calendar.
