• What: English FA Cup Picks
  • When: Third Round Matches Friday, January 9 to Sunday, January 11, 2026
  • Where: Soccer stadiums throughout England and Wales
  • Watch: CBS Sports, Paramount+

The third round of the English FA Cup is when the big clubs come into play. The 20 English Premier League sides enter the competition at this point.

As you might expect, it's the usual suspects who are the clubs being given the best odds of winning the competition.

Manchester City, last year's FA Cup losing finalist, is set as the favorite with odds of +450. Liverpool is the +500 second betting choice. Next comes Arsenal at a betting line of +600 and Chelsea with a +800 line in the soccer betting odds. Those four clubs have combined to win a total of 37 FA Cup titles.

Let's take a look at the latest English FA Cup odds from the leading online sportsbooks. Remember, odds are always subject to change.

English FA Cup OddsBovadaBetUSMyBookie
Manchester City+450+450+540
Liverpool+500+500+480
Arsenal+600+600+720
Chelsea+800+800+830
Newcastle United+1000+1000+1075
Manchester United+1600+1600+1900
Aston Villa+1800+1800+1900
Tottenham Hotspur+1800+1600+1900
Bournemouth+2500+2500+3000
Brighton & Hove Albion+2500+2500+3000
Crystal Palace+2500+2500+3900
Everton+3300+3300+3900
Nottingham Forest+3300+3300+3000
Brentford+4000+4000+4800
Fulham+4000+4000+3900
West Ham United+4000+4000+3900
Leeds United+4500+4000+8000
Sunderland+6600+6600+9500
Wolverhampton Wanderers+6600+6600+6000
Burnley+8000+6600+9500

Six-time winners Newcastle United is set with a betting line of +1000. Manchester United, a winner of 13 FA Cup titles, is given soccer odds of +1600. No other club is assigned odds shorter than +1800.

Best FA Cup Betting Tips

If you're new to betting on soccer, not to worry. Our soccer betting page is chock full of the best wagering advice and handy betting tips. If you are a supporter of English soccer, specific information on English FA Cup betting trends is available via our FA Cup betting page.

The English FA Cup is a months-long competition, but thanks to your mobile device, you'll never be more than moments away from placing your FA Cup wagers. Take advantage of the top mobile betting apps to place a bet wherever you might be in the course of your day.

FA Cup Format

The English FA Cup is a single-knockout format. Matches drawn after regulation are decided via penalty kicks. EPL and English Championship clubs don't enter the competition until the third round.

Third-round matches are slated for January through January 11. The 2025-26 FA Cup final is scheduled for May 16 at Wembley Stadium.

English FA Cup Betting Picks

Arsenal are the all-time leaders with 14 Cup final victories. Manchester United (13) is right on their heels.

Manchester City (+450)

They are beginning to look like the Manchester City of old at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are filling the opposition net with goals, and Man City is charging after Arsenal at the top of the EPL table.

The 2023 and 2024 Cup final winners will be heavily favored at home to League One Exeter City in Round 3.

Liverpool (+500)

Inconsistency continues to plague the 2024-25 EPL champions. Liverpool was knocked out of the EFL League Cup in the third round by Crystal Palace.

The Reds get a home match against League One Barnsley to launch the pursuit of a ninth Cup final win.

Arsenal (+600)

The Gunners won the double in 1971, taking the league title and winning the Cup final. Could history repeat itself in 2026? Arsenal is atop the EPL table and playing strongly in the UEFA Champions League.

They begin Cup ties with a third-round date at second-tier Portsmouth.

Chelsea (+800)

Chelsea has won the Cup final eight times. The club played in eight Cup finals between 2009 and 2022.

Chelsea is away to second-tier Charlton Athletic in third-round play.

Newcastle United (+1000)

Newcastle hasn't won the Cup final since 1955. They are home to fellow EPL club Bournemouth in the third round.

Manchester United (+1600)

United has played in a record 22 Cup finals. The club is finding its footing under manager Ruben Amorim.

Man U is home to Brighton & Hove Albion in an all-EPL third-round match.

English FA Cup Longshots To Consider

Crystal Palace are the reigning FA Cup holders. You can get a soccer betting line of as long as +3900 on the London club repeating as FA Cup champions.

Aston Villa (+1800) hasn't played in the Cup final since 2015 and hasn't lifted the trophy since 1957. Yet, Unai Emery's side is playing attractive soccer that has the club contending for a place in Europe and even the EPL title. Villa reached the semifinal of last year's competition.

Lower Division Clubs A Bad Bet

The FA Cup is chock full of Cinderella stories of minnows taking out the big fish. It's worth noting that many of the victories achieved by lower-division sides were long ago, such as Sunderland (1973), Southampton (1976), and West Ham United (1980).

A team from outside the EPL hasn't played in the Cup final since Cardiff City in 2008. And 45 years have elapsed since that last victory by the Hammers in 1980.

Last year, Preston North End of the EFL Championship made it to the quarter-finals before succumbing to Aston Villa. In this year's soccer betting lines, current EFL Championship leaders Coventry City (+10000) offer the shortest odds outside of EPL sides.

Best Bet To Win The Cup Final

You might think that what is left for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to accomplish? Well, here's one mission - become the first club to appear in four consecutive Cup finals. Last year, City became the 10th team to play in the FA Cup final in three successive seasons.

Manchester City To win English FA Cup
Bovada
+450
Bet Now!

That's all City's opponents need is for someone to dangle a carrot in front of this squad. Look for Man City to make history and wager on them to win in the English FA Cup betting picks.