It’s FA Cup Round Three time! Premier League and Championship clubs now enter the cup, with lower league and non-league sides getting the chance to face the big boys.
This is the stage famous for all the giant killings of the past. Things have changed on that score, as well as the fact that potentially money-spinning replays are also gone with all of this weekend’s games to be settled on the day, via penalties if necessary.
So, we have 64 teams and 32 matches, the dream still alive for everyone. Giant killings are largely a thing of the past, but it’s the biggest weekend of the football season for mixing the big, the small, the flash and the bullish. We’re here for it all.
FA Cup Outright Betting
At this stage of the 2026 FA Cup campaign, Man City head the outright markets at a best price of 9/2. Liverpool are next at 11/2, Arsenal are 13/2 shots from 17/2 Chelsea and 11/1 Newcastle.
What of potential dark horses after Crystal Palace’s victory last season? Aston Villa are going great guns but are available at 20/1, while at 33/1 solid Brighton wouldn’t be a bad shout.
As for the third round, we can’t bet all the games, and we wouldn’t want to given all the unknowns with teams being routinely changed and rotated. But, with 32 games comes lots of betting opportunity and we think we’ve found the best of them.
Round 3 Selections
PRESTON v Wigan – Friday, 7:30
North End may switch things up, but the Championship’s fourth-placed team should have enough in what could be a spicy all North West affair. They are a general 4/5 chance going into the weekend, fair odds against Wigan who are currently down in 15th in League One.
Cheltenham v LEICESTER – Saturday, 12:15
Cheltenham are struggling in League Two, currently sitting in 18th place. They face Leicester in one of Saturday’s early games.
Leicester on the other hand, though fans may have wanted more, are doing OK in the Championship. They sit only four points off a play-off place and now, they can ease into the fourth round of the cup as general 6/10 favourites.
Macclesfield v CRYSTAL PALACE – Saturday, 12:15
In an even more fascinating early David v Goliath encounter on Saturday, National League North’s Macclesfield face current FA Cup holders Crystal Palace. Moss Rose will be bouncing for this one, that much we know.
At 1/4 and 1/5, Palace are long odds-on but no more so than lots of other sides this weekend, some who even play at a lower level than the Eagles. No matter what side they put out, not winning this match easily against a team from the sixth level of English football would be an abject failure.
IPSWICH v Blackpool – Saturday, 3:00
Relegated only last season, Ipswich are making a real charge now in order to get back to the Premier League with once dominant Coventry surely looking over their shoulder. Now, attention turns to the FA Cup and it seems it’s not low on the priority list.
Ipswich have been backed into 1/4 for this match, the rumour being that there may not be wholesale changes. Even if there are, the Tractor Boys have enough in their squad to take care of a disappointing League One Blackpool.
NEWCASTLE v Bournemouth – Saturday, 3:00
As we mentioned further up, Newcastle are one of the shorter priced Premier League sides in the FA Cup market. About to play in their third Carabao Cup semi-final in three years, Eddie Howe and his team love knockout football.
Bournemouth are thoroughly decent and have a good recent record at St James’ Park. Still, that home advantage could be crucial and Newcastle now have a larger squad with a number of players returning from injury. At a general 8/11, they are the value in this tie.
Sheffield Wednesday v BRENTFORD – 3:00
You have to feel for the Owls’ supporters. The situation at Hillsborough is desperate and League One football awaits. For many, next season and the third tier can’t come quick enough.
Premier League Brentford have some solid players. They are 2/9 to win in Yorkshire, and shrinking, with any other result surely highly unlikely. Away win.
GRIMSBY v Weston Super Mare – Saturday, 5:45
League Two Grimsby made their way to the third round via wins against Ebbsfleet and Wealdstone. That wouldn’t be the traditional path to starting Saturday evening’s game as 2/11 favourites. They have been given a great chance here though.
Visitors Weston Super Mare play their football in National League South, another sixth-level team, though they do sit second in that division. They’ll give it a go, but should not have enough.
Charlton v CHELSEA – Saturday, 8:00
Charlton Athletic will be bang up for this, that’s obvious, but we also note that they are only five points above relegation in the Championship and they have a huge game against Sheffield United at the weekend. For Chelsea and Liam Rosenior, this is a big opportunity.
Chelsea do have a big squad. That’s one of the reasons for this selection; the fact that whoever they rest and whoever they field won’t make as big a difference as it does with some other clubs. Odds or 4/11 are fair.
SHEFFIELD UNITED v Mansfield – Sunday, 2:30
Though we feel for Wednesday, rivals Sheffield United could be laughing all the way this weekend. The Owls are likely to struggle again, but the Blades have a glorious chance to progress.
They’ve been backed into 4/11 at the time of writing, and we can see why. Not only has their Championship form improved, but in Mansfield they have opposition who sit midway in the League One table.