FA Cup third round draw: Holders Crystal Palace host non-league Macclesfield, Tottenham take on Aston Villa, Manchester United welcome Brighton

Of the 32 ties, all to be shown on the weekend of January 10, 2026, four will see Premier League clubs facing off against each other.

“That (Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa) is a brilliant tie. That is the one that stands out more than anything,” commented Ally McCoist on TNT Sports immediately after the draw.

The lowest-ranked side left in the competition, Macclesfield, have been gifted a home tie against holders Crystal Palace, while fellow sixth-tier club Weston-super-Mare travel to League Two Grimsby Town.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

“The one that jumps out for me there is Macclesfield v Crystal Palace,” said Darren Fletcher. “When you think about the journey Macclesfield have been on under Robbie Savage for a period of time, now it’s John Rooney, they get the holders.

“You look at this from the lower team’s perspective, but (Palace manager) Oliver Glasner is going to know that he’s got it all on in that game.”

Elsewhere, Manchester City have been handed home advantage in their clash with Exeter City, and Liverpool will host Barnsley, who will hope to repeat their heroics from 2008 when they knocked out The Reds at Anfield in the fifth round.

There are London derbies for Charlton Athletic and Chelsea, as well as for West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers.

And record 14-time winners Arsenal will make the journey to the south coast to face Portsmouth.

Third round draw

• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town
• Doncaster Rovers v Southampton
• Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
• Port Vale v Fleetwood Town
• Preston North End v Wigan Athletic
• Ipswich Town v Blackpool
• Wrexham v Nottingham Forest
• Charlton Athletic v Chelsea
• Manchester City v Exeter City
• West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers
• Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford
• Fulham v Middlesbrough
• Everton v Sunderland
• Liverpool v Barnsley
• Burnley v Millwall
• Norwich City v Walsall
• Portsmouth v Arsenal
• Derby County v Leeds United
• Swansea City at West Bromwich Albion
• Salford City v Swindon Town
• Boreham Wood v Burton Albion
• Grimsby Town v Weston-super-Mare
• Hull City v Blackburn Rovers
• Newcastle United v Bournemouth
• MK Dons v Oxford United
• Cheltenham Town v Leicester City
• Cambridge United v Birmingham City
• Bristol City v Watford
• Stoke City v Coventry City
• Macclesfield v Crystal Palace
• Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
• Sheffield United v Mansfield Town