The FA Cup semi-final line-up is now complete, with Chelsea set to face Leeds United and Manchester City drawn against Southampton at Wembley. The Football Association confirmed the two ties on Sunday, with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 2026.
Chelsea come into the round after a dominant 7-0 win over Port Vale, while Leeds booked their place with a tense penalty-shootout victory over West Ham United after a 2-2 draw. Manchester City reached the last four by beating Liverpool 4-0, and Southampton got there by upsetting Arsenal 2-1.
Chelsea face a Leeds side with fresh momentum
Chelsea will go into their semi-final as favourites on paper, but Leeds arrive with real momentum after surviving one of the wildest quarter-finals of the round. Reuters reported that Leeds reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1987 after defeating West Ham on penalties, a result that gave the tie immediate underdog energy heading into Wembley.
That makes this more than a routine big-club versus outsider match-up. Chelsea have looked strong in the competition, but Leeds now carry both belief and narrative weight after coming through a high-pressure knockout tie.
City get Southampton, but the warning is already clear
Manchester City’s pairing with Southampton may look straightforward at first glance, but Southampton have already shown they can disrupt the expected script. Their 2-1 win over Arsenal was one of the stories of the quarter-final round, and Reuters noted that the result extended Southampton’s unbeaten run under manager Tonda Eckert.
That changes the tone of the semi-final. City remain the heavyweight in the tie, but Southampton have already proved they can punish mistakes and manage pressure in knockout football.
What this means heading into Wembley
The draw sets up a balanced semi-final weekend: one tie featuring Chelsea against a revived Leeds side, and another pitting the defending champions against the round’s giant-killers. The FA has listed both semi-finals at Wembley, with kick-off details subject to final scheduling.
In Night Wrap terms, the value here is not just in who was drawn. It is in what the bracket now says about the competition. Chelsea and Manchester City remain the biggest names left in the field, but Leeds and Southampton have already earned their place by surviving pressure and upsetting expectations. That gives the semi-finals both weight and unpredictability.
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