FA Cup 2024/25 third round draw: fixtures, pairings and reactions

We'll call it a wrap here folks.

Cheers for tuning in and roll on early January and the third round action.

Wolves away at Bristol City and Brighton's trip to Norwich look like being two tricky tests for the Premier League outfits.

FA Cup 24-25: key dates

Third Round- Saturday 11 January 2025
Fourth Round- Saturday 8 February 2025
Fifth Round- Saturday 1 March 2025
Quarter Final - Saturday 29 March 2025
Semi Final - Saturday 26 April 2025
Final - Saturday 17 May 2025

A reminder that games will be staged over five days in January, running from the 9th (Thursday) through to Monday 13th.

Precise dates and kick-off times will be announced shortly via the FA.

FA Cup: full 3rd round draw

Massive FA Cup test for Amorim

Not the draw Ruben Amorim would have wanted as the reigning champions Man United head to North London in unquestionably 'the tie' of the third round draw.

Both sides are historically the dominant teams in FA Cup history with 14 and 13 wins a piece and one of the big guns will fall at the first hurdle.

Slots Reds to face Accrington

A local derby as Accrington Stanley and their fans make the 50 mile trip to Liverpool.

Man City vs Salford is another special fixture for all Manchester folk.

Two all Premier League ties, apart from Arsenal-United, we have Villa vs West Ham which is a evenly matched game.

Plenty of 'big day out' type games too for the likes of Harrogate who head to Leeds, Accrington Stanley travel to Anfield and Morecambe head to London SW6 to take on high flying Chelsea. 

There we go, 64 teams and 32 games with Arsenal vs Man United the obvious standout.

Games to be played over January 9-13th with precise dates and times to be confirmed in due course.

Everton vs P'boro

Wycombe vs Portsmouth

Birmingham City vs Lincoln

Leeds United vs Harrogate

N. Forest vs Luton

Sheff Utd vs Cardiff City

Ipswich vs Bristol Rovers

Fulham vs Watford

Crystal Palace vs Stockport

Tamworth vs Spurs

Hull vs Doncaster

Sunderland vs Stoke

Leicester vs QPR

Brentford vs Plymouth

Coventry vs Sheff Wed

Newcastle vs Bromley

Bristol City vs Wolves

Preston NE vs Charlton

Chelsea vs Morecambe

M'boro vs Blackburn

AFC Bournemouth vs WBA

Mansfield vs Wigan

Reading vs Burnley

Aston Villa vs West Ham

Norwich vs Brighton

Man City vs Salford City

Millwall vs Dagenham

Liverpool vs Accrington Stanley

First up is ...

Southampton vs Swansea

Arsenal vs Man United

Exeter vs Oxford Utd

Orient vs Derby County

The balls have been shuffled and we're ready for the 32 games.

Mark Hughes, home teams, Dion away teams.

64 teams, 32 games...

Ok, here we go, draw time is here !

Before the draw is conducted, there's a quick video wrap of the highlights of some the key moments over the weekend's second round games.

Tamworth, Harrogate, Salford City and Dagenham & Redbridge getting a special mention as the Midlanders advanced 

The short preamble over, we now have a few words from Dion Dublin and Mark Hughes who will assist with the draw tonight.

We're live in the BBC temporary studio at Old Trafford and the draw is imminent.

The 3rd round is arguably the most exciting round where shocks and dreams are big.

A shock or two is also never far away too in this round.

Former United stars Lee Martin and Mickey Thomas now offer a few words on their memories of the FA Cup.

FA Cup betting

Despite their dramatic current slump, Man City remain the favourites (via Odds checker) to win the FA Cup this season.

The Gunners are second favourites with high flying Liverpool ranked as third favourites and Chelsea next in the pecking order. 

The balls are ready

All 64 balls are primed and ready to be shuffled and placed into the bowl with draw time looming ever closer now.

City looking for cup solace

Man City are on a slide and have now gone seven games without recording a win.

At Anfield on Sunday, City were second best to a rampant Liverpool side who now lead the Cityzens by 11 points in the Premier League and the FA Cup now offers a very solid possibility for City to bag some silverware in the 2024-25 season.

City have won the FA Cup seven times – in 1903/04, 1933/34, 1955/56, 1968/69, 2010/11, 2018/19 and 2022/23.

Manchester City are ball number #22 tonight

Previous season FA Cup draws are generally swift affairs and the FA are not prone to too much preamble or filler over cheesy Europop sound beds.

I'd calculate that the procedure is wrapped up within 30 minutes or so this evening.

A reminder of the 64 balls-teams

These are the 64 teams (numners) involved in the draw. 

Numbered balls will be drawn by Mark Hughes and Dion Dublin with each ball representing a team to compose the 32 ties.

1. AFC Bournemouth
2. Arsenal
3. Aston Villa
4. Blackburn Rovers
5. Brentford
6. Brighton & Hove Albion
7. Bristol City
8. Burnley
9. Cardiff City
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. Luton Town
22. Manchester City
23. Manchester United
24. Middlesbrough
25. Millwall
26. Newcastle United
27. Norwich City
28. Nottingham Forest
29. Oxford United
30. Plymouth Argyle
31. Portsmouth
32. Preston North End
33. Queens Park Rangers
34. Sheffield United
35. Sheffield Wednesday
36. Southampton
37. Stoke City
38. Sunderland
39. Swansea City
40. Tottenham Hotspur
41. Watford
42. West Bromwich Albion
43. West Ham United
44. Wolverhampton Wanderers
45. Salford City
46. Charlton Athletic
47. Exeter City
48. Leyton Orient
49. Bristol Rovers
50. Dagenham & Redbridge
51. Accrington Stanley
52. Lincoln City
53. Tamworth
54. Birmingham City
55. Mansfield Town
56. Peterborough United
57. Stockport County
58. Wycombe Wanderers
59. Morecambe
60. Bromley
61. Doncaster Rovers
62. Reading
63. Harrogate Town
64. Wigan Athletic

Five different winners in past five years

No one team really has a stranglehold on the FA Cup in the way FC Barcelona or Athletic Club do in Spain with the Copa del Rey.

Over the past five years, five different clubs have claimed the trophy starting with  Arsenal in 2020 who beat Chelsea and the following season the Blues fell again at the final hurdle to Leicester.

2022 saw Liverpool condemn Chelsea to a hat-trick of final defeats with matters being resolved from the spot after 120 minutes of football failed to see a goal.

Both 2023 and 2024 finals were Manchester derbies with a win a piece for the Sky Blues and Red Devils.

Reds at 20

The man of the moment in English football is undoubtedly Arne Slot.

The Dutchman has made his transition at Anfield seamless and has filled the 'big boots' left behind by Jurgen Klopp admirably.

His Liverpool side have won 18 of their 20 games this season so far across all competitions and no-one will want to draw the high flying Merseysiders in the 3rd round.

The Reds are ball #20 tonight

Decision to scrap replays met with anger

As mentioned , as of the 24-25 season, all FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards and all rounds of the competition will be played on weekends.

Many lower league clubs slammed the decision (which was a long term pursuit of the big clubs) as they feel they will lose out on the revenue that a replay at home previously afforded. 

League Two club Tranmere Rovers said they "condemn the disgraceful" changes.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony warned it could lead to a "fallout within English football".

Old Trafford setting for draw

We're counting down towards draw time which will be aired live on BBC 2 with a programme presented and hosted by Kelly Somers.

FA Cup changes this season

As of the 24-25 season, FA Cup replays are now scrapped from the first round onwards.

Games will be resolved with extra time, penalty kicks should honours be even after 90 minutes.

All rounds of the FA Cup will also be played on weekends, including the fifth round which has been played in midweek for the past five seasons.

'Daggers' aiming high

After their dramatic win over AFC Wimbledon (former FA Cup winners themselves), the non-league side from Essex are planning their next round and hoping to draw one of the Premier League big guns.

Arsenal remain the 'kings of the (FA) cup'

With 14 wins in their history, North London outfit Arsenal FC are the most successful side in the FA Cup and are now closely trailed by Man United snapping at the Gunners heels on 13.

Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs are tied in third place with the Reds and both London clubs boasting 8 wins.

Old Trafford hosting draw

Tonight's draw will be conducted from Old Trafford, the home of reigning champions Manchester United who edged out their neighbours Man City in the Wembley final last May in a 2-1 win.

Red Devils fans will be keeping a keen eye on ball #23 tonight with fans anxious to see if Ruben Amorim really is the real deal at the Theatre of Dreams. 

Open draw

Unlike other major cup competitions, the FA Cup remains and open draw with no seeding and no home advantage for the lower ranked side.

The first ball to be drawn represents the home team and the send ball the away side.

FA Cup 24-25: key dates

Third Round- Saturday 11 January 2025
Fourth Round- Saturday 8 February 2025
Fifth Round- Saturday 1 March 2025
Quarter Final - Saturday 29 March 2025
Semi Final - Saturday 26 April 2025
Final - Saturday 17 May 2025

Two non-league representatives remain

The decision to scrap replays in the world's oldest competition was met with fierce opposition, especially from the smaller clubs who risk on missing out on big money spinning replays, essential for their budgets.

Having said that, the sudden death element added excitement to the second round  with with two non-league sides making it to the third round after Dagenham & Redbridge and Tamworth stunned AFC Wimbledon and Burton Albion respectively.

When will the 3rd round games be played?

Games in the third round of the 2024-25 FA Cup will be staged over the week commencing 11 January.

Former Man United stars Mark Hughes and Dion Dublin will be on hand to assist with the draw procedure in a television event hosted by Kelly Somers.

The draw for the third round will commence at 2pm ET (7pm local time) and the ceremony will be conducted from Old Trafford Stadium, home to current FA Cup holders Manchester United.

Hello and a warm welcome to our live coverage of the third round draw for the 2024/25 FA Cup.