The Emirates FA Cup third round proper is here.
From possible upsets to special anniversaries, here are five key stories developing across the weekend to look out for.
Making history
Macclesfield FC are in the FA Cup proper for the first time ever this season and a mouth-watering tie awaits this weekend when Premier League Crystal Palace, the reigning champions, pay a visit to Moss Rose.
The club entered the competition in the second round qualifying, beating Atherton LR, Nantwich Town, Stamford AFC, AFC Totton and Slough Town en route to the third round proper. It also marks a first meeting between the FA Cup holders and a non-league side since 2004-05, with Wolves the last holders to be knocked out by a non-league team in 1908-09 which, incidentally, was Palace themselves.
Memorable milestones
Hull City mark their 150th home tie in the FA Cup on Sunday when they host six-time competition winners Blackburn Rovers – who are celebrating their 150th anniversary this season – in the third round in an all-EFL Championship affair.
The Tigers have twice made the semi-final and finished as runners-up in 2014, losing out to Arsenal in the final, while Rovers, who have reached eight FA Cup Finals, have won the famous trophy three times in a row between 1884 and 1886, with their most recent triumph coming in 1928.
Family ties
The relation of a two-time FA Cup winner is into the third round with Wigan Athletic, as James Carragher – son of former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher – prepares to face second tier opposition Preston North End on Friday night with the Latics.
The 23 year old found the back of the net last time out in a 2-2 draw with Barrow in the second round proper, nodding in the opening goal to achieve something his dad didn’t manage during his career: scoring in the FA Cup.
James Carragher headed home the opener for @LaticsOfficial in their win over Barrow 👌
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) December 9, 2025
He became the first Carragher to score in the #EmiratesFACup 👀 pic.twitter.com/1wwg9Iq71M
Cup upsets
There is the potential for some banana skins in the third round as Premier League sides enter the competition. Liverpool entertain Barnsley on Monday night, with two teams having gone head-to-head in the FA Cup before.
Fans of the South Yorkshire club will remember Brian Howard’s last-gasp winner against Rafa Benítez’s Reds in the 2007-08 fifth round at Anfield which sealed a 2-1 win for Barnsley, who went one step further when they shocked Chelsea in the sixth round to reach the semi-final that season.
New threads
Tottenham Hotspur players will be donning a limited-edition kit this weekend for their third round tie at home to Aston Villa to mark the 125th anniversary of the year the club became the first non-League side to lift the FA Cup.
In 1901, eight-time winners Spurs faced Sheffield United in the final, winning the replay 3-1 to become the only club outside of the Football League to lift the trophy. And they are commemorating the achievement with a Lilywhite shirt which sports a heritage crest with no player surnames featuring on the back and only the shirt number visible, as it would have done over a century ago.
