FA Cup fifth-round draw sets up Mansfield v Arsenal and Newcastle v Man City
The FA Cup fifth-round draw delivered a mix of David-v-Goliath ties and heavyweight repeats as League One Mansfield Town were handed a home date with Arsenal. Manchester City will travel to Newcastle in an all-Premier League clash, while Wrexham will host Chelsea. The ties are scheduled for the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 (ET).
Mansfield make historic return to the last 16
Mansfield Town will play in the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1975 after a dramatic fourth-round win at Burnley. The League One side overturned a deficit to triumph 2-1 at Turf Moor, earning a high-profile home meeting with 14-time winners Arsenal. The Stags’ reward is a rare spotlight moment at Field Mill as they prepare to welcome one of English football’s most decorated clubs.
The tie carries classic cup intrigue: a lower-league side on a memorable run against elite opposition. For Mansfield fans, the occasion will be a long-awaited return to the latter stages of the competition and a chance to test their mettle against a top-flight squad.
Big ties, postponed decider and Wrexham’s glamour test
One of two top-flight head-to-heads sees Manchester City head to Newcastle, a repeat of an earlier domestic cup semi-final between the sides this season. That fixture carries extra spice given recent league and cup meetings and will be among the most eagerly anticipated ties on the March weekend.
Sunderland drew an away tie but will not yet know their opponents, pending the rescheduled fourth-round replay between Port Vale and Bristol City. That match had been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch and is now set for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 2: 45 PM ET; the winner will travel to face Sunderland in the fifth round.
Championship side Wrexham will host eight-time winners Chelsea, another high-profile clash after the Welsh club’s resurgence through the divisions. Wrexham’s ascent back to the Championship has been closely watched, and the meeting with Chelsea presents a significant home occasion against one of the competition’s most successful teams.
Other ties drawn include Fulham v Southampton, Leeds United v Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool and West Ham United v the winner of Macclesfield or Brentford. All fifth-round ties are due to be played across the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 (ET), with kick-off times and ticket information to be confirmed.
The draw blends potential giant-killings with marquee match-ups, setting up a compelling weekend of cup football. For lower-league clubs like Mansfield and the winner of Port Vale v Bristol City, the fifth round represents not only a financial boost but a chance to write fresh FA Cup folklore. For established Premier League sides, it’s another step in the long chase for silverware and momentum as the season reaches its crucial months.
