Who Will Chelsea Face in the FA Cup Fifth Round

London — Chelsea’s FA Cup journey continues with a trip to north Wales after the fifth-round draw paired the Blues with Wrexham, the Championship’s surprise package this season. Liam Rosenior’s side, fresh from a ruthless 4-0 dismissal of Hull City at the MKM Stadium, will head to the Racecourse Ground on the weekend of 7 March, seeking a place in the quarter-finals.

The draw keeps Chelsea on what appears a favourable path. A 5-1 rout of Charlton Athletic in the third round kicked off Rosenior’s reign, followed by the emphatic victory over Hull in which Pedro Neto claimed a hat-trick and teenage talent Estevao Willian added a late fourth. Those results have propelled the club into the last-16 stage of a competition that now represents their clearest shot at silverware after Carabao Cup elimination at the hands of Arsenal.

Wrexham, managed by Phil Parkinson, have already accounted for one Premier League scalp this term and will welcome the glamour tie with relish. The Welsh outfit’s home form has been formidable, ensuring Chelsea cannot afford complacency if they are to keep alive dreams of a ninth FA Cup triumph.

Exact scheduling remains fluid; while Saturday and Sunday slots are anticipated, organisers have left open the possibility of a Friday-night broadcast should broadcasters request it, mirroring the recent Chelsea-Hull arrangement.

Rosenior, appointed after Enzo Maresca’s departure, has emphasised momentum and squad rotation throughout the cup run. With league commitments also pressing, the manager is expected to balance experience and youth as the Blues attempt to navigate a potentially tricky assignment in Wrexham.

Chelsea last met Wrexham in a competitive fixture during the 1978-79 season. Nearly half a century on, the stakes are considerably higher, and the Blues will be wary of a side buoyed by raucous home support and a growing reputation for cup upsets.

Tickets for the tie are expected to sell out within hours, underscoring the magnitude of the occasion for both clubs. For Chelsea, progression is paramount; for Wrexham, the opportunity to topple another top-flight name is the stuff of FA Cup folklore.