FA Cup Third Round Draw 2025: Everything You Need to Know

The Magic of the FA Cup Returns

The highly anticipated FA Cup third round draw for the 2025-26 season takes place this evening, marking one of the most exciting moments in the English football calendar. The draw for the third round of the 2025/26 FA Cup will take place on the evening of Monday 8 December 2025. This stage of the competition holds special significance as clubs from the Premier League and EFL Championship set to enter the competition.

Draw Details and How to Watch

The draw is scheduled for approximately 6.40pm GMT and will also be streamed live on the TNT Sports YouTube channel. Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist will present the coverage, and the draw will be made by Joe Cole and Peter Crouch. It will be conducted from Brackley Town before their second round tie with Burton Albion. Fans can watch live on TNT Sports 1, discovery+, or free on the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

Teams and Giant-Killing Dreams

A total of 64 teams will be in the hat tonight. All 20 Premier League teams and 24 Championship clubs enter the FA Cup at the third round stage. They will join the 20 winners from the second round. Sixth-tier outfits Macclesfield, Slough Town and Chelmsford City, the lowest-ranked sides still standing, are daring to believe that a historic giant-killing run could be on the cards.

For lower-league clubs, drawing one of the Premier League giants represents a financial windfall and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Teams advancing past this stage will secure a tidy sum of £115,000 from the tournament’s prize pool.

When Are the Matches?

The third round will be played around the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026. The schedule is expected to span several days, likely kicking off on the Thursday and wrapping up by Monday as broadcasters and the FA spread the action across the whole weekend.

Why This Draw Matters

The FA Cup third round represents the moment when England’s footballing elite meet the competition’s underdogs. It’s a stage where dreams are made, upsets happen, and memorable moments are created. The FA Cup returns for its 145th edition in 2025-26 as the biggest teams in England (plus some from Wales) battle it out to get their hands on what is one of the most prestigious trophies in the football world. For fans across the country, tonight’s draw will set the stage for what promises to be another thrilling chapter in the world’s oldest cup competition.