The FA Cup has always been a breeding ground for drama and unpredictability, but this season’s fifth round has truly raised the bar for upsets, comebacks, and emotional rollercoasters. From third-tier Port Vale’s stunning victory over Premier League opposition to Wrexham’s valiant extra-time battle against Chelsea, the weekend delivered a feast of footballing stories that will be talked about for years to come.
On Sunday, March 8, 2026, Port Vale—rock-bottom of League One and 57 places below their opponents in the English football pyramid—pulled off a seismic shock by beating Sunderland 1-0 to book their place in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Ben Waine was the hero, looping a header beyond the Sunderland keeper in the 28th minute. The goal, his second match-winning strike in as many FA Cup games, sent the home crowd at Vale Park into raptures and cemented his status as the club’s man for the big occasion.
“It probably hasn’t sunk in really. I’m in a little bit of shock about that result today,” Port Vale manager Jon Brady told TNT Sports. “Not that I didn’t believe we could do it, but you need a lot of things going your way.” His disbelief was shared by many, as Vale—who had only just edged past Championship side Bristol City five days earlier thanks to another Waine winner—became the lowest-ranked side left in the competition.
Waine himself was quick to praise his teammates’ determination: “I know it wasn’t pretty to watch, probably not the best game to watch, but we dug in so hard and I think we deserved it. We stuck to the game plan—as simple as that.”
Port Vale’s giant-killing exploits come in a season already rich with FA Cup shocks. Just weeks ago, sixth-tier Macclesfield stunned defending champions Crystal Palace in what was officially the biggest upset in the competition’s storied history. Now, with Vale situated less than 20 miles from Macclesfield, the West Midlands is fast becoming a nightmare region for Premier League hopefuls. The draw for the quarterfinals is set for Monday, and anticipation couldn’t be higher among the Vale faithful.
Elsewhere, Championship side Southampton continued their resurgence under coach Tonda Eckert, knocking out Premier League Fulham with a dramatic 1-0 win at Craven Cottage. The match looked destined for extra time before Fulham’s Joachim Andersen brought down Finn Azaz in the box in the dying moments. Up stepped Ross Stewart, who coolly converted the 91st-minute penalty, sending the away fans into delirium and Fulham’s heavily rotated squad out of the cup.
Fulham manager Marco Silva’s decision to make nine changes—resting stars like Raul Jimenez, Antonee Robinson, and Alex Iwobi—ultimately backfired. Southampton, meanwhile, are reaping the rewards of Eckert’s leadership. Since his appointment in November, the club has climbed from a relegation scrap to the brink of the Championship playoffs. “Overall, in the 90 minutes it’s deserved that we go to the next round,” Eckert told the BBC. “(We) just need to use this game as fuel for the games coming up.”
Leeds United, determined not to be another victim of the underdog narrative, produced a commanding 3-0 win over Norwich at Elland Road. The match was a special occasion for Leeds’ coach Daniel Farke, facing his former club whom he twice led to Premier League promotion. First-half goals from Sean Longstaff and Gabriel Gudmundsson set the tone, with Joel Piroe adding a late third to secure Leeds’ passage to the next stage.
But if the weekend belonged to the underdogs, Saturday’s action at the Racecourse Ground offered a different kind of fairy tale. Wrexham, now a Championship side under the stewardship of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, twice led Premier League Chelsea in a pulsating fifth-round tie. Despite being reduced to 10 men late on, Wrexham pushed their illustrious visitors to extra time, only succumbing 4-2 after 120 minutes of relentless effort.
As the final whistle blew, Reynolds and McElhenney led a standing ovation for their players. “Three years ago this week, we battled Maidenhead United to a draw. Today we pushed Chelsea to extra time. So incredibly proud of Wrexham’s performance today,” Reynolds reflected on X, capturing the pride and progress of a club that’s risen rapidly from non-league obscurity to the cusp of the Premier League.
Chelsea’s quality ultimately told in the extra period, with Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro finding the net to seal the Blues’ place in the quarterfinals. Manager Liam Rosenior will hope the scare serves as a timely wake-up call ahead of their Champions League Round of 16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
In Newcastle, the mood was far less celebratory. The Magpies saw their FA Cup hopes dashed yet again by Manchester City, who came from behind to win 3-1 at St James’ Park. Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle an early lead, but City responded before halftime through Savinho, then surged clear in the second half thanks to two goals from Omar Marmoush. The defeat marks the fifth time this season Newcastle have been eliminated at the fifth-round stage by City, and with a daunting Champions League tie against Barcelona looming, Eddie Howe’s side faces a stern test of character in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s victory means they have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for an eighth consecutive season under Pep Guardiola, a remarkable streak that underscores their dominance in English football’s cup competitions.
As the dust settles on a wild weekend, the draw for the FA Cup quarterfinals—scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2026—has never felt more intriguing. With traditional giants like Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea joined by giant-killers Port Vale and resurgent Southampton, the stage is set for more drama, more upsets, and perhaps another chapter in this season’s extraordinary FA Cup narrative. One thing’s for sure: nobody will be taking the underdogs lightly when the balls are drawn and dreams are reignited for another round.