Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round Draw: Holders Chelsea to Play Crystal Palace

Chelsea to host Crystal Palace in Women’s FA Cup fourth round

Holders Chelsea will face Crystal Palace at home in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup. Chelsea, who secured a domestic treble by beating Manchester United 3-0 in last season’s final, are aiming to defend their title.

Chelsea have won the competition six times and enter this round as strong favorites. Crystal Palace, who were relegated from the Women’s Super League (WSL), will look to cause an upset against the reigning champions.

Other key matches in the fourth round

League leaders Manchester City have been drawn to play away at Bournemouth, who currently lead the third tier. Arsenal, the competition’s 14-time winners, will host Aston Villa in an all-WSL clash.

Tottenham Hotspur’s women face fellow WSL side Leicester City at home. Manchester United travel to third-tier Burnley, continuing their cup campaign away from home.

In other ties, London City Lionesses will visit Sunderland from WSL 2, while Brighton take on Nottingham Forest, both from the second tier. These matchups highlight the diverse competition across women’s football levels.

Scheduling and match details

All fourth-round fixtures are scheduled to take place during the weekend of Saturday, 17 January. Official kick-off times and venues have yet to be announced by the Football Association.

The draw sets the stage for exciting encounters as teams from different leagues compete for a place in the next round. It also offers opportunities for lower league clubs to challenge top-flight teams on a national stage.

Below is a summary of the fourth-round ties:

1. Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (home)
2. Manchester City vs Bournemouth (away)
3. Arsenal vs Aston Villa (home)
4. Tottenham vs Leicester City (home)
5. Manchester United vs Burnley (away)
6. London City Lionesses vs Sunderland (away)
7. Brighton vs Nottingham Forest (home)

These fixtures will be closely watched by fans eager to see if holders Chelsea can maintain their dominance or if underdogs will emerge as giant killers in this prestigious cup.