Port Vale set for FA Cup quarter-final clash against Chelsea

Port Vale is gearing up for an exciting quarter-final matchup in the 2026 FA Cup against Premier League heavyweight Chelsea.

The Valiants, currently battling at the bottom of the League One table, will head to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

This follows an unexpected victory over Sunderland, marking Vale's first quarter-final appearance since 1954.

Despite being eight points adrift at the bottom of the table, Vale remains the lowest-ranked team still in the competition.

Port Vale last played Chelsea in 1929, clinching a 1-0 victory, but the two sides have never met in the FA Cup before. This encounter marks Vale’s first appearance in the final eight of the cup since the memorable Iron Curtain season of 1953-54.

In total, the two teams have faced each other fourteen times, with Vale winning three matches, Chelsea winning seven, and four ending in draws.

Chelsea's path to the quarter-finals wasn't without drama, as they twice had to come from behind to secure a 4-2 extra-time win against a spirited Wrexham side at Stok Cae Ras.

The quarter-final draw unveils Southampton facing Arsenal, Manchester City against Liverpool, and a match between West Ham or Brentford and Leeds United alongside the Port Vale vs Chelsea fixture.

The match is provisionally set for the weekend of 4th April 2026.

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