Football fans love a good bracket. But when you look at the FA Cup standings, you aren't looking at a traditional league table with points and goal differences. It is a chaotic, single-elimination bracket that stretches from the muddy park pitches of August to the pristine grass of Wembley in May. Right now, we are in the thick of the 2025-26 season, and things have gone absolutely sideways in the best possible way.
If you’re checking the "standings" to see who is winning, you’re basically looking at who survived the Third Round massacre.
The biggest story? Crystal Palace. They were the defending champions, remember. They shocked everyone by winning the trophy in 2025, but their reign just ended in the most humiliating—or glorious, depending on who you support—fashion. They didn’t lose to Manchester City or Liverpool. They lost to Macclesfield. Yes, a sixth-tier team from the National League North.
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What the FA Cup Standings Look Like Right Now
Technically, there are no "standings" in the way the Premier League has them. Instead, we have a list of the 32 teams that just punched their tickets to the Fourth Round.
The Third Round, which wrapped up on January 12, 2026, was a total fever dream. Usually, you expect the big boys to cruise. But Manchester United? Out. They lost 2-1 to Brighton at Old Trafford. Tottenham? Gone. Aston Villa sent them packing with a 2-1 win. Even Nottingham Forest found a way to lose to Wrexham in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 thriller.
If you are looking for the heavy hitters still alive in the competition, here is the "upper crust" of the current bracket:
- Manchester City: They didn’t just win; they embarrassed Exeter City 10-1. It felt like a training session.
- Arsenal: Cruised past Portsmouth 4-1. Martinelli is looking unstoppable lately.
- Liverpool: They took care of business against Barnsley with a 4-1 win at Anfield.
- Chelsea: Now under the management of Liam Rosenior, they thumped Charlton 5-1.
But the "standings" are more interesting at the bottom. We still have Macclesfield, Wrexham, and Mansfield Town hanging around. Mansfield actually pulled off a massive result by beating Sheffield United 4-3. That’s the beauty of this tournament. One bad day for a Premier League center-back and a League Two striker becomes a local hero for life.
The Giant Killings We Can't Stop Talking About
Honestly, the Macclesfield win over Crystal Palace is the biggest "cupset" in the history of the competition. There were 117 league places between those two teams. Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts are names that will be toasted in Macclesfield pubs for the next fifty years.
When people search for FA Cup standings, they are often trying to find out if the "magic" is still real. After the 2024-25 season saw the removal of replays for the proper rounds, a lot of purists (myself included) thought the tournament would lose its soul. We thought the big clubs would just steamroll everyone.
We were wrong.
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Taking away replays has actually made the "standings" more volatile. Smaller teams are playing for penalties from minute one. They know they only have to survive 90 minutes plus a shootout. They don't have to worry about a grueling trip to an away stadium ten days later. It’s making the bracket look like a graveyard for elite teams.
Looking Ahead: The Fourth Round Draw
The Fourth Round is scheduled for the weekend of February 14, 2026. Valentine's Day. Nothing says romance like a cold afternoon in a packed away end, right?
The draw has already given us some mouth-watering ties. Because there is no seeding in the FA Cup, you get "all-Premier League" clashes early on. Aston Villa vs. Newcastle is the big one this time. But the game everyone is circling is Macclesfield vs. Brentford. Can the Silkmen do it again? Brentford is a step down from Palace, sure, but they’re disciplined.
Here is what the "standings" look like for the upcoming fixtures:
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- Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic: A repeat of the 2014 semi-final.
- Liverpool vs. Brighton: This is a dangerous game for Slot’s men. Brighton just killed United’s hopes; they aren't scared of anyone.
- Wrexham vs. Ipswich Town: The Hollywood story continues.
- Hull City vs. Chelsea: A massive homecoming for Liam Rosenior.
Why You Should Keep an Eye on the Prize Money
Money talks. While the fans care about the trophy, the clubs in the lower half of the FA Cup standings are looking at the bank account.
Winning a Third Round match bagged teams £115,000. If Macclesfield or Mansfield can win their Fourth Round ties, they’ll pocket another £120,000. For a sixth-tier club, that is transformational. It’s the difference between buying a new striker and fixing the roof of the main stand.
Even the losers get a "participation trophy" of sorts in the early rounds, but the real money starts hitting in the Quarter-Finals, where the winners get £450,000. By the time someone lifts the trophy on May 16, they’ll have earned millions in prize money alone, not to mention the TV revenue.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're following the tournament from here on out, don't just look at the scores. Look at the squad rotation.
Most Premier League managers are terrified of the fixture pile-up. If a team like Manchester City or Arsenal has a Champions League game three days after an FA Cup tie, they will play the kids. That is your window for an upset.
- Watch the "Salford vs. Swindon" replay: This is the only tie still lingering from the Third Round. The winner gets a date with Manchester City.
- Track the Underdogs: Keep an eye on Macclesfield and Wrexham. They have the momentum and the "nothing to lose" attitude that defines this tournament.
- Check the Betting Lines: Interestingly, the odds for Liverpool and Arsenal have shortened significantly now that Tottenham and United are out.
- Mark the Calendar: The Fourth Round starts February 13th.
The FA Cup standings will continue to shrink until only two teams are left standing in London this May. Whether you’re a die-hard or just checking in for the chaos, this year is proving that the oldest cup competition in the world hasn't lost its bite.
Keep your eyes on the Macclesfield story. It’s the kind of thing that only happens in this sport. No other league, no other playoff system, gives a group of semi-pros the chance to look the champions in the eye and say, "Not today."
To stay updated, check the official FA website or your preferred sports app on the evening of February 14th. The bracket will look very different by Sunday night.