Wrexham Draw Formidable Foes in Historic FA Cup Fifth Round Battle

Wrexham's aspirations of reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in nearly three decades suffered a significant blow on Monday evening when they were drawn against Chelsea in the fifth round.

The Welsh club had successfully avoided encounters with the Premier League's elite teams in their earlier cup runs this season. Phil Parkinson's squad overcame Nottingham Forest via a penalty shootout in round three before eliminating Championship rivals Ipswich Town over the weekend.

While both were challenging adversaries, neither compared to the obstacle now facing Wrexham in the fifth round. Chelsea currently occupy fifth position in the Premier League table and have suffered just two defeats since Liam Rosenior assumed control—both losses coming against table-toppers Arsenal.

Wrexham, by contrast, find themselves in eighth place in the Championship and have secured only three victories in their past six fixtures across all tournaments.

When Is the FA Cup Fifth Round?

When Is the FA Cup Fifth Round?

The FA Cup fifth round commences during the weekend of March 7, providing Wrexham with almost three weeks to prepare for their encounter with the Blues. The positive aspect for Parkinson's team is they will enjoy home advantage at the STōK Cae Ras.

Extraordinary moments have unfolded in North Wales since Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac acquired Wales' oldest football club in 2021, with the passionate home crowd inspiring the Red Dragons to remarkable triumphs previously. They will need to generate maximum noise, however, to help their team unnerve Chelsea.

For Wrexham, this fixture follows the weekend after their away trip to Charlton. The team is then set to meet Watford on March 7, a match that will require rescheduling due to the FA Cup commitment.