FA Cup fifth-round draw sets up Mansfield v Arsenal and Newcastle v Manchester City
The FA Cup fifth-round draw has produced a mix of glamour ties and potential giant-killings, with League One side Mansfield Town handed a home tie against 14-time winners Arsenal. The remaining draw features a repeat of a recent League Cup semi-final as Manchester City travel to Newcastle, while Wrexham are set to host Chelsea. The ties are due to be played across the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 ET.
Mansfield dream big after dramatic Burnley victory
Mansfield Town’s reward for a famous fourth-round victory is a once-in-a-generation home draw. The League One club reached the fifth round for the first time since 1975 after staging a second-half comeback to beat Premier League Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor. That upset sets up a high-profile visit from Arsenal, who have lifted the trophy 14 times in their history.
For Mansfield, the tie is a significant moment for the playing squad and the fanbase. A victory would rank among the club’s finest days and send shockwaves through the competition; for Arsenal, it represents a potential banana skin, with the FA Cup’s capacity for surprise well established. The match will be one of the stories to watch over the March weekend as lower-league momentum meets top-flight quality.
Premier League rematch and other standout ties
One of the ties likely to attract the biggest attention pits Newcastle United against Manchester City, a repeat of a recent domestic cup semi-final between the two sides. That fixture offers a fresh chance for Newcastle to test themselves against a side that has dominated English football in recent years, while Manchester City will be wary of a physically imposing Newcastle outfit playing in front of a fervent home crowd.
Wrexham, who climbed to the Championship after back-to-back promotions, will host Chelsea after the Welsh club secured progression with a notable league-season run. Chelsea arrive having dismantled Hull City 4-0 in the fourth round, with Pedro Neto scoring a hat-trick and Estevao Willian also on the scoresheet. The meeting represents a rare competitive chapter between the two clubs and a high-profile tie for Wrexham, whose revival has been among the most talked-about stories in recent seasons.
Other ties include Fulham v Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool, and Leeds United v Norwich City. West Ham will face either Macclesfield or Brentford depending on the outcome of that rearranged fourth-round tie.
One tie of note pending final confirmation sees Sunderland drawn away to either Port Vale or Bristol City. That fourth-round fixture was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch and has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 2: 45 PM ET; the winner will make the trip to face Sunderland in the fifth round. With weather continuing to be a factor in early March, the scheduling of that tie adds an extra wrinkle to preparations for the following weekend.
What to expect next
Fifth-round ties are set for the weekend of March 7-8, 2026 ET, and clubs will now turn to logistics, ticketing and squad rotation as they balance cup ambitions with league campaigns. The draw has handed several intriguing matchups that could influence momentum for the remainder of the season: lower-league clubs bidding to extend fairy-tale runs, mid-table sides chasing cup glory, and top-flight heavyweights aiming to avoid untimely exits.
For neutral fans, the combination of a tiny club hosting a traditional giant, a top-level rematch and once-in-a-generation home ties makes this stage of the competition especially compelling. The FA Cup’s reputation for drama remains intact, with several ties promising narrative-rich clashes and the possibility of upsets that could reshape cup trajectories heading into the business end of the tournament.
