The FA Cup "magic" is personified today, Saturday, January 10, 2026, as the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition, Macclesfield FC, hosts the defending FA Cup champions, Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium. Kick-off is set for 12:15 GMT.
This fixture is historic: it marks the first time since 2005 (Manchester United vs. Exeter City) that the current FA Cup holders have faced a non-league side. For Macclesfield, a phoenix club reborn from the ashes of liquidation in 2020, this is the biggest match in their young history.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: FA Cup (Third Round)
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Kick-off: 12:15 GMT / 07:15 ET
Venue: Leasing.com Stadium (Moss Rose), Macclesfield
Referee: Tim Robinson
Broadcast: BBC One, TNT Sports 1, discovery+ (UK), ESPN+ (US)
The Storyline: The Phoenix Club vs. The Holders
Macclesfield FC: The Dreamers of Cheshire
Led by manager John Rooney (younger brother of Wayne Rooney), the Silkmen are currently 14th in the National League North (the sixth tier). Their journey to this stage has been grueling, starting in the second qualifying round back in September and culminating in a dramatic 3–1 extra-time win over Slough Town. With a sell-out crowd of 5,300 expected, the atmosphere in Cheshire will be electric as the part-time squad—which includes a lawyer, a gym owner, and a Love Island winner—looks to pull off the greatest upset in the competition's modern era.
Crystal Palace: Defending the Crown
Oliver Glasner’s side makes history today as the first-ever defending champions of the FA Cup in the club's existence. However, the Eagles arrive in Cheshire in a slump, winless in their last eight matches and struggling for goals. Glasner has confirmed he will rest top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta, but captain Marc Guéhi is expected to start to ensure there are no slips. For Palace, this is a "no-win" scenario: anything less than a dominant victory will be viewed as a failure against a team 100 places below them in the football pyramid.
Team News & Expected Lineups
Macclesfield FC Team News
Star Man: Forward Danny Elliott has netted 15 goals this season and is the primary threat for the hosts.
New Arrival: Former Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson signed this week and could make a fairytale start against Premier League opposition.
Emotional Context: The club will hold a tribute for young player Ethan McLeod, who tragically passed away shortly before Christmas.
Predicted XI (4-5-1): Dearnley; Matheson, Lacey, Heathcote, Menayese; Bughail-Mellor, Dawson, Duffy, Edmundson, Johnson; Elliott.
Crystal Palace Team News
Injury Crisis: Palace is missing Daniel Muñoz, Cheick Doucouré, Chadi Riad, Eddie Nketiah, and Daichi Kamada.
AFCON Duty: Ismaïla Sarr is away with Senegal.
Rotation: Youth prospects Jaydee Canvot and George King are in line for rare starts in the back three.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Benitez; King, Canvot, Richards; Sosa, Rodney, Hughes, Benamar; Devenny, Drakes-Thomas; Uche.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
First Meeting: This is the first-ever competitive meeting between Macclesfield FC (reformed 2020) and Crystal Palace.
The "Holders" Record: 12 of the last 13 FA Cup holders have progressed from the third round.
Gap in Class: There are exactly 110 league places between Crystal Palace (17th in Premier League) and Macclesfield (14th in National League North).
Macclesfield Form: The Silkmen have won their last two matches, including a 2–1 win over Radcliffe on Tuesday.
Match Prediction
While the "magic of the cup" suggests a struggle, the physical and technical gap between the sixth tier and the Premier League is immense. Macclesfield will likely hold firm for the first 30 minutes, but Palace's superior conditioning and bench depth should eventually tell.
Final Score Prediction: Macclesfield FC 0–4 Crystal Palace
