The FA Cup delivered everything it promised this past weekend. Four quarter-finals, eighteen goals, a Championship giant-killing, a teenager turning a shootout, and an Erling Haaland hat-trick that left Liverpool without answers. The oldest domestic cup competition in world football once again wrote its own dramatic headlines, and now four clubs know that Wembley’s semi-finals await.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Southampton, and Leeds United are the last four standing. Below, we run through every quarter-final in detail, look ahead to the Wembley semi-finals on 25 and 26 April, and introduce how you can be there with exclusive hospitality.

Quarter-Final Round-Up: What Happened This Weekend

The quarter-finals of the 2025/26 Emirates FA Cup took place across the weekend of 4–5 April 2026. Six Premier League sides went head-to-head alongside Championship promotion-chasers Southampton and League One’s Port Vale, the lowest-ranked team at this stage since 1953. What followed was one of the most dramatic quarter-final weekends in recent memory.

Manchester City 4–0 Liverpool | Saturday 4 April

The tie of the round delivered on every level, though perhaps not in the way Liverpool had hoped. With Pep Guardiola serving the final match of a two-game touchline ban, assistant Pepijn Lijnders took charge against his former club, and City were clinical from the first whistle.

Erling Haaland was simply unstoppable. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring from the spot in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk fouled Nico O’Reilly, before heading home a second in first-half stoppage time. He completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes with a finish off the underside of the bar. New January signing Antoine Semenyo added a third from a Rayan Cherki pass to round off a 4–0 demolition that felt entirely deserved.

City are now into their eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final, extending their own record. Liverpool, meanwhile, face a period of reflection despite leading the Premier League.

Chelsea 7–0 Port Vale | Saturday 4 April

Chelsea needed this. Four consecutive Premier League defeats had raised serious questions about Liam Rosenior’s side ahead of the international break, but facing League One’s Port Vale, who had caused a sensation by eliminating Sunderland in the fifth round, offered a chance to rebuild confidence, and the Blues took it emphatically.

Jorrel Hato struck after just 64 seconds, tucking home a half-volley after goalkeeper Joe Gauci fumbled an Estêvão corner. João Pedro doubled the lead on 25 minutes, then a Cole Palmer-driven shot deflected in off Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel for an own goal before the break. The second half saw four more, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, and a goal from Brazilian teenager Estêvão himself after a lengthy VAR check, with Alejandro Garnacho rounding off the scoring late on.

Seven different scorers, seven goals without reply. Chelsea’s attacking depth, when properly unleashed, is formidable, and they head to Wembley with momentum restored.

Southampton 2–1 Arsenal | Saturday 4 April

If one result defined the magic of the FA Cup this weekend, this was it. Championship promotion-chasers Southampton, managed by Tonda Eckert, produced one of the great quarter-final upsets, beating Premier League leaders Arsenal 2–1 at St Mary’s to book a place in the semi-finals.

Arsenal arrived as overwhelming favourites, still stinging from their Carabao Cup final defeat to City a fortnight earlier. But Ross Stewart gave the hosts a deserved lead in the 35th minute with a clinical finish after Ben White misjudged a cross, and St Mary’s erupted. Viktor Gyökeres levelled on 68 minutes, threatening to turn the tide, but super-substitute Shea Charles, a City academy graduate, fired Southampton back ahead and held his nerve to seal a famous 2–1 victory.

Southampton are chasing history. Fifty years after Lawrie McMenemy’s second-tier Saints won the FA Cup in 1976, their Championship successors are dreaming of repeating it. It was just Arsenal’s fifth defeat of a remarkable campaign and ends their treble ambitions entirely.

West Ham 2–2 Leeds United (Leeds won 4–2 on penalties) | Sunday 5 April

Sunday’s quarter-final at the London Stadium was everything the FA Cup stands for, breathless, dramatic, and ultimately decided by a teenage debutant goalkeeper. The match was so intense it was reportedly only the second time this season two top-flight sides both attempted 20 or more shots in a single game.

After a pulsating 2–2 draw, the tie went to penalties. With Leeds needing composure under immense pressure, goalkeeper Lucas Perri saved from Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals, and Pascal Struijk held his nerve to convert the decisive kick, sending Leeds through 4–2 on spot-kicks.

Leeds United reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1987, a 39-year wait finally over. Manager Daniel Farke described it as ‘a chapter of Leeds United history’. They face Chelsea at Wembley on 26 April.

FA Cup Semi-Final Previews: Wembley Awaits

The draw was made live from London Stadium on Sunday evening, conducted by Ally McCoist and Joe Cole. Both ties take place at Wembley Stadium on the weekend of 25–26 April 2026. There are no replays, if level after 90 minutes, games go to extra time and penalties.

Semi-Final 1: Manchester City vs Southampton | Wembley, 25/26 April

It is the match of the semi-finals. A seven-time FA Cup winner against the Championship side who have just knocked out the Premier League leaders. Pep Guardiola’s City are chasing a place in the final for the fourth consecutive season, having lost to both Manchester United and Crystal Palace in their last two appearances, and will arrive as heavy favourites.

But Southampton are not here by accident. Their run includes victories over Fulham, Leicester City, and now Arsenal. Shea Charles, Ross Stewart, and their resolute defensive shape under Eckert make them a genuinely difficult proposition. The Saints won the FA Cup the last time they reached this stage, beating Manchester United 1–0 in the 1976 final, a story the whole nation would love to see repeated 50 years on.

City’s last FA Cup meeting with Southampton came in March 2022, when they won 4–1 in the quarter-finals. This will be a very different occasion. Southampton travel to Wembley with nothing to lose and everything to gain, which, in cup football, is the most dangerous combination of all.

Key players to watch: Erling Haaland (City), Phil Foden (City), Rayan Cherki (City), Ross Stewart (Southampton), Shea Charles (Southampton).

Semi-Final 2: Chelsea vs Leeds United | Wembley, 25/26 April

A tie steeped in history. Chelsea and Leeds met in the 1970 FA Cup Final, a bruising affair that went to a replay, with Chelsea eventually triumphing. Over half a century later, the two clubs meet again at Wembley’s semi-final stage, with the prospect of another Wembley final the prize.

Chelsea are eight-time winners of the competition, though their last FA Cup triumph came back in 2018. Under Rosenior, their cup form has been sharp even when their league results have faltered, and the 7–0 demolition of Port Vale showed exactly what this squad is capable of when firing on all cylinders. Estêvão, João Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Alejandro Garnacho give them frightening attacking options.

Leeds, meanwhile, carry the emotion of a 39-year wait. Daniel Farke’s side showed extraordinary character to beat West Ham on penalties, and the city of Leeds will travel to Wembley in enormous numbers for the first time in a generation. They are the outsiders, but this is the FA Cup, and after Southampton’s result on Saturday, anything feels possible.

Key players to watch: Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Estêvão (Chelsea), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea), Lucas Perri (Leeds), Pascal Struijk (Leeds).

Experience Wembley in Style: The Bobby Moore Hospitality Package

The FA Cup semi-finals and final are among the most iconic occasions in the English football calendar, and there is no finer way to experience them than from inside Wembley Stadium’s most prestigious hospitality suite. At Engage Hospitality, we are proud to offer the Bobby Moore Package for both the semi-finals on 25–26 April and the FA Cup Final on 16 May 2026.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have traditionally taken the FA Cup seriously and possess the quality required to progress deep into the tournament. But as history has shown, the cup can often produce surprises, especially when top sides travel to smaller, packed stadiums. 

Who Was Bobby Moore?

The Bobby Moore Suite is named in honour of one of England’s greatest ever footballers — the iconic West Ham United and England captain who lifted the World Cup at Wembley in 1966. Moore embodied everything the national stadium represents: grace, composure, and excellence under pressure. This hospitality suite, situated on the halfway line at Level 1 of Wembley Stadium, carries that legacy in every detail.

What’s Included in the Bobby Moore Package?

Premium Seating

Your match tickets are located on Level 1 of Wembley Stadium, on the halfway line directly behind the dugouts. These are among the very best seats in the stadium — positioned close to the trophy route, giving guests an unrivalled view of both the action and the post-match celebrations.

Gourmet Four-Course Dining

Guests are welcomed into the Bobby Moore Lounge up to three hours before kick-off, with Champagne and freshly prepared canapés served on arrival. From your private fixed table, you will enjoy a gourmet four-course meal including a post-match cheeseboard course — the ideal way to celebrate or commiserate in style.

All-Inclusive Premium Bar

The inclusive bar runs throughout your time in the lounge and includes Laurent-Perrier Champagne, a wide selection of fine wines, premium beers including Guinness and Camden Hells, spirits, and soft drinks. Your glass is never empty from arrival to the final whistle.

VIP Access & Exclusive Facilities

Guests enter through the exclusive Level 1 VIP entrance, bypassing general queues for a seamless matchday experience. The Bobby Moore Lounge remains open for approximately one hour after the final whistle, giving you the chance to relax and soak in the occasion long after the last kick.

What’s Included in the Bobby Moore Package?

Whether you want to be there for the drama of the last four on 25–26 April, or experience the showpiece FA Cup Final on Saturday 16 May, Engage Hospitality can secure your place in the Bobby Moore Suite. Both events promise to be historic occasions — and the Bobby Moore Package ensures you experience every moment in the way it deserves.

With places strictly limited and demand at an all-time high following a breathtaking quarter-final weekend, we strongly advise enquiring early to avoid disappointment.

Enquire About the Bobby Moore Package

Final Thoughts

The 2025/26 FA Cup has already produced moments that will be talked about for years. Haaland’s hat-trick. Southampton’s stunning upset. Leeds’ long-awaited return to the last four. The oldest cup competition in the world has once again proven why it captures the imagination of every football fan in England and beyond.

With Manchester City, Chelsea, Southampton, and Leeds all heading to Wembley this month, the semi-finals on 25–26 April promise to be some of the most compelling matches of the entire football season. And the FA Cup Final on 16 May will crown a worthy champion of the world’s most historic knockout competition.

Don’t just watch, be there. Enquire about the Bobby Moore Hospitality Package from Engage and experience Wembley the way it was always meant to be experienced.

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