The excitement around the FA Cup has returned as the third-round draw has now been completed, giving clubs across the Premier League and Championship their first look at who they will face in one of English football’s most historic competitions.
This stage is always special because it brings all 44 top-two-division teams into the mix alongside lower-league sides hoping for a dream tie and the financial boost that comes with it. Newcastle United, Sunderland, Liverpool and many others have now discovered their opponents, and the draw has already created some eye-catching fixtures.
Newcastle United have been handed a home tie against Bournemouth. The draw was shown live on TNT Sports from St James’ Park on Monday, December 8.
While many thought the event was taking place at the Premier League ground in Newcastle, it was actually held at the St James’ Park belonging to non-league Brackley Town, who were preparing for their second-round match against Burton Albion. It made for a unique setting and added a warm community feel to the ceremony.
The third round marks the point where big storylines often begin. Newcastle United will enter looking to improve on their recent performances in the competition.
They reached the last 16 last season and made the quarter-final the year before, but their overall record under Eddie Howe hasn’t always matched expectations. Losses to Cambridge United and Sheffield Wednesday in previous years still linger in the memories of fans who want deeper runs.
Newcastle were eliminated by Manchester City in the 2024 quarter-final and then knocked out by Brighton & Hove Albion after extra time in 2025, a match remembered for Anthony Gordon’s late red card.
The hope now is that playing at home against Bournemouth will give them a strong platform to build something better.
The FA Cup third-round matches are scheduled to take place between January 9 and January 13, 2026, with TV selections to be announced soon. As always, several fixtures offer the possibility of shocks, and lower-league sides will be dreaming of upsets that could change the direction of their season.
Below is the full list of ball numbers used during the draw, covering every club that entered at this stage:
AFC Bournemouth (1), Arsenal (2), Aston Villa (3), Birmingham City (4), Blackburn Rovers (5), Brentford (6), Brighton & Hove Albion (7), Bristol City (8), Burnley (9), Charlton Athletic (10), Chelsea (11), Coventry City (12), Crystal Palace (13), Derby County (14), Everton (15), Fulham (16), Hull City (17), Ipswich Town (18), Leeds United (19), Leicester City (20), Liverpool (21), Middlesbrough (24), Millwall (25), Newcastle United (26), Norwich City (27), Nottingham Forest (28), Oxford United (29), Portsmouth (30), Preston North End (31), Queens Park Rangers (32), Sheffield United (33), Sheffield Wednesday (34), Southampton (35), Stoke City (36), Sunderland (37), Swansea City (38), Tottenham Hotspur (39), Watford (40), West Bromwich Albion (41), West Ham United (42), Wolverhampton Wanderers (43), Wrexham (44), Macclesfield (45), Grimsby Town (46), Shrewsbury Town (47), Swindon Town (48), Weston-super-Mare (49), Barnsley (50), Boreham Wood (51), MK Dons (52), Wigan Athletic (53), Fleetwood Town (54), Salford City (55), Mansfield Town (56), Cambridge United (57), Brackley Town or Burton Albion (58), Blackpool (59), Walsall (60), Exeter City (61), Cheltenham Town (62), Doncaster Rovers (63), Port Vale (64).
The complete list of FA Cup third-round fixtures is as follows:
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Shrewsbury Town
Doncaster Rovers vs Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa
Port Vale vs Fleetwood Town
Preston North End vs Wigan Athletic
Ipswich Town vs Blackpool
Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest
Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea
Manchester City vs Exeter City
West Ham United vs Queens Park Rangers
Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford
Fulham vs Middlesbrough
Everton vs Sunderland
Liverpool vs Barnsley
Burnley vs Millwall
Norwich City vs Walsall
Portsmouth vs Arsenal
Derby County vs Leeds United
Swansea City vs West Bromwich Albion
Salford City vs Swindon Town
Boreham Wood vs Brackley Town or Burton Albion
Grimsby Town vs Weston-Super-Mare
Hull City vs Blackburn Rovers
Newcastle United vs AFC Bournemouth
MK Dons vs Oxford United
Cheltenham Town vs Leicester City
Cambridge United vs Birmingham City
Bristol City vs Watford
Stoke City vs Coventry City
Macclesfield FC vs Crystal Palace
Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Sheffield United vs Mansfield
This round feels like the perfect blend of tradition, unpredictability and excitement. Supporters from every level of the football pyramid will be hoping for a moment to remember.
Newcastle fans, especially, will feel they have a real opportunity at home, and the rest of the competition will be watching to see who takes early control of the FA Cup’s magic.
