6th-tier Macclesfield drawn against Brentford in FA Cup as reward for beating titleholder Palace
Macclesfield FC goalscorers Paul Dawson, right and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrate following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. Credit: AP/Martin Rickett
LIVERPOOL, England — Sixth-tier Macclesfield's reward for beating Crystal Palace in one of the biggest ever FA Cup shocks was another home match against a Premier League opponent — this time Brentford in the fourth round.
“We said before we'd have liked Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal,” said Macclesfield coach John Rooney, the younger brother of England great Wayne Rooney. “But another Premier League team — incredible.”
Palace, the titleholder, was humbled by a team 117 places lower in English soccer's league pyramid and was one of six top-flight teams to be knocked out so far in the third round. The others were Manchester United, Tottenham, Everton, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
Newly hired Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior will take his team to second-tier Hull, one of his former clubs, while Manchester City was drawn to play Salford City or Swindon — lower-league teams who meet on Tuesday. Arsenal will host third-tier Wigan.
In all-Premier League matchups, Aston Villa will host Newcastle and Brighton goes to Liverpool, which beat third-tier Barnsley 4-1 on Monday.
Wrexham, the second-tier team owned by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, was drawn at home to fellow Championship club Ipswich Town after knocking out Forest.
The matches will be played around the weekend of Feb. 14-15.
Chelsea's head coach Liam Rosenior walks before the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Chelsea in London, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: AP/Dave Shopland
Fourth-round draw:
Liverpool or Brighton
Stoke City vs. Fulham
Oxford United vs. Sunderland
Chelsea's head coach Liam Rosenior walks before the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Chelsea in London, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Credit: AP/Dave Shopland
Southampton vs. Leicester City
Wrexham vs. Ipswich Town
Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic
Hull City vs. Chelsea
Burton Albion vs. West Ham
Burnley vs. Mansfield Town
Norwich City vs. West Bromwich Albion
Port Vale vs. Bristol City
Grimsby Town vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Aston Villa vs. Newcastle
Manchester City vs. Salford City or Swindon
Macclesfield vs. Brentford
Birmingham City vs. Leeds United
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