FA Cup draw throws up Mansfield v Arsenal and Wrexham at home to Chelsea

The fifth round of the FA Cup produced a string of headline ties, with League One side Mansfield Town paired with Arsenal and Wrexham handed a glamour home tie against Chelsea. The ties are scheduled across the weekend of March 7-8 (ET), with one delayed fourth-round replay pencilled in for Tuesday, March 3 at 2: 45 PM ET.

David v Goliath: Mansfield to host Arsenal

Mansfield Town will play host to Arsenal in what is the Stags' first appearance in the FA Cup fifth round since 1975. The League One outfit reached this stage after a dramatic comeback victory over Premier League Burnley, overturning a deficit to win 2-1 at Turf Moor and book a historic tie against the 14-time winners.

The clash pits a side enjoying rare cup-night momentum against a top-flight heavyweight, offering Mansfield supporters a potentially career-defining occasion at their home ground. For Arsenal, the fixture is a reminder that the cup can present testing away days even against lower-league opposition, and the tie will be watched closely for lineup decisions and how seriously each side prioritises the competition amid busy domestic schedules.

Blockbusters and repeats: City to Newcastle, Wrexham draw Chelsea

Two all-Premier League ties stand out, with Manchester City drawn away to Newcastle United — a repeat of one of this season's League Cup semi-final matchups. That encounter promises another intense meeting between two sides used to challenging each other on multiple fronts.

One of the weekend's more attention-grabbing fixtures sees Wrexham welcome Chelsea to the Racecourse Ground. The match produced an animated reaction from Wrexham's co-owner, who expressed disbelief and delight at his club being handed one of the competition's glamour opponents. For Wrexham, this is their first trip to the fifth round since the late 1990s and represents a rare chance to host a top-flight team on home turf, creating a potentially electric atmosphere.

Other notable pairings include West Ham United facing Brentford in a London-heavy clash, while a number of Premier League teams will be eyed by lower-league sides hoping for classic cup upsets across the weekend.

Unsettled ties and scheduling notes

Sunderland were drawn to face the winner of the postponed fourth-round tie between Port Vale and Bristol City. That fourth-round match was pushed back because of a waterlogged pitch and is set to be played on Tuesday, March 3 at 2: 45 PM ET. The uncertainty means Sunderland must prepare for an away trip without knowing their precise opponent until that replay concludes.

All fifth-round ties are scheduled across the weekend of Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8 (ET), with broadcasters and clubs expected to confirm kick-off times and ticket information in the coming days. The draw underlines the FA Cup’s enduring capacity to produce high-stakes local derbies, cross-division David-versus-Goliath tests and headline fixtures that will shape the run-in for many clubs with league ambitions.

For lower-league teams such as Mansfield and Wrexham, the draw presents both a financial windfall and an on-field opportunity to etch a memorable chapter into their club histories. For Premier League sides, it presents a balancing act between cup ambition and the demands of domestic and European calendars. Either way, the weekend of March 7-8 promises classic knockout drama and a fresh set of storylines as the competition edges toward its business end.