Chelsea's bid to be crowned FA Cup champions for the ninth time will begin with an away trip to Charlton Athletic in this season's third round.
The Blues, alongside fellow Premier League sides and Championship clubs, enter the FA Cup the third round to join the teams who have advanced through the earlier stages.
Ball number eleven in the draw – conducted by Chelsea legend Joe Cole and Peter Crouch – the Blues have been pitted against Charlton, currently 17th in the Championship, in a game that will take place at the Valley.
We have twice played Charlton in the FA Cup. The first meeting came in the fourth round in March 1963, where goals from Jimmy Mulholland, Bert Murray and Bobby Tambling secured a 3-0 away victory for Chelsea.
It was the same scoreline when we hosted the Addicks in the third round in January 1995. Gavin Peacock opened the scoring before further goals from Frank Sinclair and John Spencer.
Third round ties will be played around the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026. Full ticket details will follow in due course.
FA Cup third round draw in full
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Boreham Wood v Brackley Town or Burton AlbionBristol City v WatfordBurnley v MillwallCambridge United v Birmingham City
**Charlton Athletic v Chelsea**
Cheltenham Town v Leicester CityDerby County v Leeds UnitedDoncaster Rovers v SouthamptonEverton v SunderlandFulham v MiddlesbroughGrimsby Town v Weston-super-MareHull City v Blackburn RoversIpswich Town v BlackpoolLiverpool v BarnsleyMacclesfield v Crystal PalaceManchester City v Exeter CityManchester United v BrightonMK Dons v Oxford UnitedNewcastle United v BournemouthNorwich City v WalsallPort Vale v Fleetwood TownPortsmouth v ArsenalPreston North End v Wigan AthleticSalford City v Swindon TownSheffield United v Mansfield TownSheffield Wed v BrentfordStoke City v Coventry CitySwansea City v West Bromwich AlbionTottenham Hotspur v Aston VillaWest Ham United v QPRWolves v Shrewsbury Town
Wrexham v Nottingham Forest