Winning the FA Cup was once the epitome of the English game.
As one of the few competitions broadcast in the country, this mythical tournament of upsets and mismatches imprinted itself on the mind of fans all over. The advent of the Premier League began to tip the scales before Manchester United’s decision to skip the tournament entirely in 2000–01 in favour of FIFA’s Club World Cup showed where modern priorities lie.
What Manchester United would give to be involved in this year’s competition (or any other tournament for that matter).
As this year’s edition reaches its sharpened point, the journey to Wembley Stadium races ever closer into view. Suddenly, these cup ties are no longer a chore, but a chance at glory. Here are the sides most likely to claim a trophy that few would turn down.
Ranking Criteria
- Team quality—A no-brainer.
- Squad depth—Such is the standing of the FA Cup in the priority of competitions, teams at all levels rotate to some degree.
- Priorities—A club without other distractions is surely more likely to progress.
- Upcoming opponent—Given there is no pre-determined route to the final, the immediate opposition is all we can go off (if applicable).
9. Port Vale
Fifth Round Result: 1–0 win vs. Sunderland (H)
Sport is the ultimate form of escapism. Port Vale have relied upon the FA Cup to offer a merciful distraction from their dire league form.
The Valiants have locked the basement door at the foot of the League One table and appear destined to return to the fourth tier which they only escaped last season.
However, they will be able to keep the focus on the FA Cup and away from this increasing reality for a little longer after a stirring victory over Sunderland in the fifth round.
8. Southampton
Some away day 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/6eL2rEuCiO
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 8, 2026
Fifth Round Result: 1–0 win vs. Fulham (A)
It’s been a rocky return to the Championship for the Saints, who promptly ended Will Still’s real life Football Manager save before they even entered the cup.
Tonda Eckert hasn’t had it all his way in the league but the FA Cup has provided some welcome respite and a moment to enjoy for the Saints. Victory away to Fulham in the fifth round will be rightly celebrated but Eckert’s mantra should also be ringing in his players’ ears: “Don’t get satisfied after you win one game, because you need to win the next one, the next one, the next one...”
7. West Ham
Fifth Round Opponent: Brentford (H)
“The FA Cup is a beautiful competition,” Nuno Espírito Santo insisted before West Ham’s fourth round tie against Burton Albion. “It’s a good opportunity for us because good performances and results always help.”
It’s also a good opportunity to pick up injuries which a team desperately scrapping against relegation absolutely doesn’t need.
The Hammers needed extra time to scrape past those third-tier opponents and could very well have their sights re-focused solely on Premier League survival when they come up against Brentford.
6. Leeds
Fifth Round Result: 3–0 win vs. Norwich City (H)
Leeds United have not found their way to the last eight of the FA Cup since 2003. It’s been almost 40 years since they made it to a semi-final but Daniel Farke has the Yorkshire outfit dreaming again.
5. Brentford
Fifth Round Opponent: West Ham (A)
Thomas Frank always took a curiously dim view of the FA Cup at Brentford. Across their first three seasons in the Premier League, the Bees tumbled out of the third round with a rotated XI on each occasion.
Keith Andrews has managed to navigate the banana skin of an away tie against non-League Macclesfield Town and is well-placed in the league to focus on a deep cup run.
4. Man City
Fifth Round Result: 3–1 win vs. Newcastle (A)
When Pep Guardiola won Barcelona’s first ever European Cup as a player in 1992 at Wembley Stadium, he sat on the turf debating with a teammate about the number of steps on the famous staircase leading up to the royal box.
Guardiola soon found out for himself (it was 39 before being expanded to 107 after the stadium was renovated). Manchester City have taken 21 trips to Wembley under the Catalan coach yet only two of those visits have ended with a hoist of the FA Cup trophy.
City have other priorities this season but another skip up those steps is never too far away.
3. Arsenal
Fifth Round Result: 2–1 win vs Mansfield (A)
Arsenal’s quality is not in doubt, it’s more a question of stamina. Declan Rice is the lungs of this Gunners team and looks as though he’s been holding his breath for 90 minutes at the end of each contest, greedily gulping mouthfuls of oxygen as soon as the final whistle blows after invariably draining battles.
Should Mikel Arteta's side continue to land favourable ties against lower league opposition, the dream of the quadruple may stay alive for a little longer. But if the Gunners are to slip up in any competition, the FA Cup would perhaps be the one they are most willing to give up.
2. Chelsea
Fifth Round Result: 4–2 win vs. Wrexham (A)
Whatever the circumstance, whoever the manager, Chelsea remain a perennial danger in cup competitions. Enzo Maresca collected two titles last season, while the eclectic collection of his predecessors steered Chelsea to six domestic cup finals between 2020–24.
Liam Rosenior has rapidly proven to be an adept tactician in one-off contests and has the range of squad options to balance a battle across three different competitions.
1. Liverpool
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Favourites for the 2025–26 FA Cup—Ranked.
