Manchester City will host Liverpool and Chelsea will face Port Vale after the fa cup quarter-final draw, while Arsenal travel to Southampton and Leeds await West Ham or Brentford. Held at 7: 05 pm GMT (3: 05 pm ET) on Monday, March 9, 2026, the draw sets up an April 4-5 quarter-final weekend.
Manchester City vs Liverpool headlines last-eight slate
Manchester City’s home tie against Liverpool is the standout matchup from the draw, pitting two heavyweights against each other for a place at Wembley. Liverpool booked their spot with a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night, ensuring their name was in the last-eight mix when the draw was made.
Quarter-final ties are scheduled to be played across the weekend of April 4-5, leaving both Manchester City and Liverpool a short runway to prepare for the decisive cup meeting. With a semi-final on the line, the all-Premier League pairing adds immediate stakes to the round.
Chelsea handed Port Vale in last-eight tie
League One side Port Vale, the lowest-ranked club left, travel to Chelsea for only their second FA Cup quarter-final in history. The pairing also revives a rarely seen fixture: it will be their first competitive meeting since 1929, underscoring the scale of the challenge and the occasion for the visitors.
Port Vale’s run included eliminating Sunderland, the biggest upset of the fifth round. For Chelsea, the assignment offers a direct path to the semi-finals but also a clear test against a club riding knockout momentum.
Fa Cup Quarter-final Draw: full fixture list and dates
Arsenal, record 14-time winners, were drawn away to Southampton, currently eighth in the Championship. Leeds United will travel to face the winners of West Ham United vs Brentford, completing a last eight that blends top-flight favorites with lower-league hope.
- Manchester City vs Liverpool
- Chelsea vs Port Vale
- Southampton vs Arsenal
- West Ham United or Brentford vs Leeds United
The fa cup quarter-final draw also confirmed that all last-eight fixtures are slated for the weekend of April 4-5. With one tie still dependent on the outcome of West Ham United’s meeting with Brentford, Leeds will learn their destination once that fifth-round result is settled.
Next on the calendar: quarter-final matches across April 4-5. Fixture details and kickoff times will follow from the clubs and organizers.
