FA Cup Preview: Premier League clubs enter the fray as action heats up

The 145th edition of the FA Cup — one of the world’s oldest sporting competitions — has been well underway since last August when the qualifying rounds began. 

But the tournament kicks into high gear this weekend with the third round, when all 20 Premier League teams enter the fray after having byes in the first two rounds. 

Here’s what you need to know about the FA Cup and some important matches to keep your eyes on in the third round. 

Single-elimination format: No replays 

The 32 matches that make up the third round are all single elimination and not two-legged, home-and-away affairs.    

If a game is tied after 90 minutes of regulation time, it’ll go to extra time and penalty kicks (if necessary) to determine the winner.   

Traditionally, when an FA Cup match ended in a draw prior to the semifinals, teams faced each other in a replay at a later date to decide the winner. But starting last season, replays were scrapped during the proper rounds of the FA Cup. Replays won’t be used again this season. 

UEFA Europa League spot at stake 

The 2026 FA Cup final will be played at London’s Wembley Stadium on May 16. The winner of the tournament will also earn a place in the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League.  

Crystal Palace are the defending FA Cup champions after defeating Manchester City in last year’s final. 

Premier League clubs set to enter the mix   

As is the tradition, the numerous qualifying rounds and the first two proper rounds of the FA Cup exclusively featured teams from across England’s lower tiers.    

The third round is when all 20 Premier League clubs and all 24 sides from the Championship (second division) join the mix after receiving byes in the earlier stages.   

The 44 teams from the top two divisions join the 20 winners from the second round, which includes the lowest-ranked clubs left in the competition: non-league sides Macclesfield F.C. and Weston-super-Mare A.F.C., who both compete in the sixth division. The third round also features Boreham Wood F.C. from the fifth tier, eight teams from League One (third division) and nine teams from League Two (fourth division). 

Canadian content in the third round 

As many as four members of the Canadian men’s team could see action in the third round of the FA Cup this weekend. 

Defender Jamie Knight-Lebel is currently on loan at fourth-division club Swindon Town and already has a pair of FA Cup appearances under his belt this season, including going the full 90 minutes in a 4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the second round. Knight-Lebel, a 21-year-old from Montreal who has three caps for Canada, could make his third FA Cup appearance on Saturday when Swindon visits fellow League Two outfit Salford City F.C. 

Forward Daniel Jebbison (five caps) has five goals and two assists in 20 games in all competitions this season while on loan at Preston North End in the Championship. The 22-year-old from Oakville, Ont., will be looking to add to those numbers when his side hosts Wigan Athletic of the third division on Friday. 

Winger Liam Millar (37 caps) has a goal and two assists for Hull City in the Championship this season. But the 26-year-old from Toronto is carrying a hamstring injury and might be ruled out for Sunday’s home clash against fellow second division side Blackburn Rovers. 

Midfielder Ali Ahmed (22 caps) just completed a transfer from the Vancouver Whitecaps to Norwich City of the Championship. It’s not known whether or not the 25-year-old native of Toronto will be available for Sunday’s home match vs. Walsall F.C. of League Two. 

Macclesfield F.C. vs. Crystal Palace 

Crystal Palace begins its defence on Saturday with a visit to Leasing.com Stadium, where it faces modest non-league side Macclesfield F.C., who have made it to the proper rounds of the FA Cup for the first time since being founded six years ago. 

Twelve of the last 13 defending FA Cup champions have progressed from the third round. Palace will be looking to avoid joining Arsenal, who were bounced in the third round in 2017-18 when they lost 4-2 to Nottingham Forest after winning it all the previous season. 

The good news for the defending champions is they’ve won their last six FA Cup matches against non-League teams, and the last time the holders were knocked out of the tournament by a non-League team was in 1908-09 when Wolves lost to Palace. French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is one of the Premier League’s top scorers this season with eight goals, so look for him to terrorize Macclesfield. 

Tottenham vs. Aston Villa 

There are four all-Premier League matches in the third round, but the pick of the litter has to be the Tottenham vs. Aston Villa encounter that’ll take place in London on Saturday. 

Villa is third in the current league table, 11 spots and 16 points above Tottenham. What’s more, they earned a 2-1 win away to Spurs earlier this season in the Premier League. England international Morgan Rogers has three goals and two assists in his last four appearances against Tottenham in all competitions — he scored one goal and set up another in Villa’s 2-1 win against Spurs in the FA Cup last season. 

Tottenham have lost two of their last three FA Cup matches against Aston Villa, but have won 18 of their last 19 FA Cup third-round matches. 

Manchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion 

Another all-Premier League battle takes place on Sunday when Manchester United welcomes Brighton & Hove Albion to Old Trafford. 

The Red Devils have won all six of their previous FA Cup games vs. The Seagulls, including a penalty shootout decision in the 2022-23 semifinals. 

Both teams have done well in the third round over the years. United have been knocked out at this stage of the competition just twice in their last 40 games, while Brighton have advanced from 14 of their last 16 third-round series. 

A player to keep a close eye on is Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian has scored in each of his last four FA Cup appearances and will be looking to extend that streak in his tournament debut for the Red Devils following his summer transfer move from Wolves. 

Liverpool vs. Barnsley  

The third round wraps up on Monday with a classic David vs. Goliath battle as Premier League giants Liverpool welcome third-division outfit Barnsley to Anfield. 

Liverpool enters this match fresh off a 0-0 draw vs. Arsenal on Thursday, a result that further damaged its hopes of repeating as Premier League champions — they sit in fourth in the table, 14 points off the pace of the first-place Gunners. 

But the Reds have to be considered the heavy favourite against Barnsley, who sit 17th in the League One standings and are winless in their last four games. The Tykes (an unfortunate yet somewhat appropriate nickname given their third-round opponent) have lost all of their last six FA Cup matches against Premier League sides, and given the disparity in resources, that streak will more than likely continue when they face Liverpool.