Adobe Women's FA Cup fourth round draw: Holders Chelsea to face Crystal Palace, WSL leaders Manchester City drawn against Bournemouth
Updated 15/12/2025 at 22:42 GMT
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Chelsea have been drawn against Crystal Palace as they begin their Adobe Women's FA Cup title defence in the fourth round of the competition. Women's Super League leaders Manchester City visit Bournemouth, 2024 winners Manchester United host Burnley, and 14-time champions Arsenal host fellow WSL outfit Aston Villa. The fourth-round ties will take place across the weekend of January 17 and 18.
Highlights: Cato header the difference as Palace see off spirited Lewes
Video credit: TNT Sports
Adobe Women’s FA Cup holders Chelsea have been drawn against Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the competition.
The Women’s Super League champions will host the second-tier side during the weekend of January 17 and 18 - with action live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Current WSL leaders Manchester City will travel to take on Bournemouth of the third division, as they pursue their first FA Cup title since 2020.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, who have reached the final in each of the last three seasons and won the title in 2024, have a home tie with third-tier Burnley.
UEFA Women's Champions League holders and 14-time FA Cup winners Arsenal will play host to an all-WSL clash against Aston Villa, who reached the quarter-finals last season.
The fourth round is the first in which the WSL sides will be involved, as they join the lower-league teams, who have progressed from the previous rounds.
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Highlights: Middlesbrough dispatch Cheadle in historic Women's FA Cup tie
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City make up the only other tie containing two WSL teams, while the two lowest sides left in the competition will face off when Chatham Town host York City.
London City Lionesses will make the trip to Sunderland, Brighton & Hove Albion will host Nottingham Forest, Everton travel to West Bromwich Albion, and West Ham United will visit Newcastle United.
Liverpool, who are currently at the foot of the WSL, have been drawn away against fourth-tier London Bees.
Southampton will hope to build on their 10-0 thumping of Royston Town in the third round with a home tie against Bristol City.
There were plenty of one-sided scorelines in the previous round of the competition, with Burnley beating Peterborough United 7-0 and Birmingham City putting six past Sporting Khalsa.
Meanwhile, Ipswich Town, Bournemouth and Sunderland all scored five in their respective contests.
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Chelsea have dominated the Women's FA Cup in recent seasons, winning in four of the last five campaigns, including last time around.
Sonia Bompastor's side beat United 3-0 in the final last season, thanks to three second-half goals, as they claimed the domestic treble.
United, though, are the only other team to win the competition in that period, lifting the trophy in 2024 after hammering Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 in the final.
Arsenal remain the most successful team in the competition with 14 titles, but they have not tasted glory since 2016.
Full Women’s FA Cup fourth round draw:
- Charlton Athletic v Swindon Town
- Bournemouth v Manchester City
- Ipswich Town v Sheffield United
- Oxford v Middlesbrough
- Chatham Town v York City
- Arsenal v Aston Villa
- Manchester United v Burnley
- Southampton v Bristol City
- London Bees v Liverpool
- Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
- Brighton & Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Sunderland v London City Lionesses
- West Bromwich Albion v Everton
- Hull City v Birmingham City
Watch and stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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