FA Cup semi-final draw: Southampton to take on Manchester City as Chelsea face Leeds United | OneFootball

The 2025/26 FA Cup semi-final draw has set the stage for a high-stakes weekend at Wembley, pitting established giants against tournament underdogs.

Following a quarter-final round defined by Chelsea’s dominance and Southampton’s giant-killing heroics, the final four now face the penultimate hurdle for football’s oldest trophy.

The first fixture revives a classic English rivalry: Chelsea vs Leeds United. Chelsea enter the tie as heavy favourites after ruthlessly dismantling Port Vale 7-0, the largest margin of victory in the previous round.

They face a Leeds side that showed immense grit to progress past West Ham, prevailing in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.

On the other side of the bracket, Championship side Southampton have the daunting task of stopping Manchester City. The Saints are the story of the competition so far, having produced the shock of the season by eliminating Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 2-1 victory at St Mary’s.

Fifty years after their legendary 1976 triumph, the South Coast club are dreaming of another improbable upset. However, they face a Manchester City side in formidable form. Pep Guardiola’s men booked their place at Wembley by thrashing Liverpool 4-0, powered by an Erling Braut Haaland hat-trick.

Scheduled for the weekend of April 25–26, 2026, these semi-finals offer two compelling narratives. While the statistics heavily favour a blockbuster Chelsea-City final, Southampton’s ongoing 15-game unbeaten run makes them a dangerous opponent.

Additionally, Leeds are unbeaten in two league meetings against Chelsea this season and will fancy their chances of toppling the London giants again.