From Wrexham to Macclesfield, FA Cup reminded us why we love soccer

Wrexham started it, by defeating Premier League opposition for the first time in 26 years, then tiny Macclesfield created worldwide headlines by eliminating holders Crystal Palace for the biggest shock in FA Cup history, and then Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reminded us that some things never change.

And yes, there was not even any video assistant referees to spoil, or delay, the fun and anguish that comes with watching your team score or concede a crucial goal.

It was for one weekend only, but the FA Cup third round was a showcase for the best of the sport. It’s not quite an egalitarian utopia — Manchester City did score 10 goals against League One side Exeter City, after all — but the English game has become where the unexpected is happening more often. This weekend of FA Cup drama took it to a new level.

– Biggest upsets in FA Cup history
– Stream LIVE FA Cup matches and replays on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

In 2025, Newcastle United ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy by winning the Carabao Cup — Eddie Howe’s side face City in their semifinal first leg at St James’ Park on Tuesday as they attempt to retain the trophy — and Palace clinched major silverware for the first time in their 164-year history by beating City in the FA Cup final last May.

So Palace’s elimination at the third-round stage against Macclesfield, a team ranked 117-places below Oliver Glasner’s side in the English football pyramid, was the ultimate example of the depth of the English game and its ability to keep its giants looking nervously at every potential pitfall in their path. No top-flight team had ever lost to a side from the sixth tier — Macclesfield play in the National League North — and it seemed beyond the realms of all possibility for the holders to suffer that fate.

Macclesfield, managed by John Rooney (brother of former Manchester United and England captain Wayne), are a team of part-time players with day jobs. Defender Sam Heathcote was back at work as a P.E. teacher on Monday morning, while captain and goal scorer Paul Dawson — the hero with the head bandage — works for a company which makes scented candles.

The English Football Association clearly hadn’t expected Palace to suffer their humiliating fate. Ahead of the third round, the FA announced the introduction of a special “winners” ball this season, distinguished by a gold trim, which would only be used in games played by the previous titleholders, i.e., Palace. That innovation lasted just 90 minutes, but the winners ball may never be seen again because soccer is a sport with so many superstitions that it could now be regarded as a jinx.

Macclesfield have claimed their place in FA Cup history, however, and they can also take pride from having outlasted United, Spurs and Everton — three clubs with 26 FA Cup successes between them — in this season’s competition. United and Spurs both saw the FA Cup as a route to salvation this season, but neither made it past Round 3 after suffering 2-1 home defeats against Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa, respectively.

For United, Sunday’s exit against Brighton means they have crashed out of both domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle for the first time since 1981-82. As a consequence, they will play just 40 first-team games this season — the club’s lowest fixture workload since 1914-15. And Spurs, who remain alive in the UEFA Champions League but are highly unlikely winners of that competition, go into Saturday’s Premier League clash at home to West Ham knowing that anything other than a win could cost manager Thomas Frank his job — if he even lasts long enough to take charge of that derby fixture. So while the cup has delivered hope and joy to Macclesfield, it has snatched both away from United and Spurs and deepened the already heavy gloom at the two clubs.

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Is Macclesfield beating Crystal Palace the biggest upset in FA Cup history?

ESPN’s Steve Nicol and Julien Laurens react to Macclesfield FC beating Crystal Palace 2-1 in the third round of the FA Cup.

But if you want joy, hope, excitement and a roller-coaster ride that seems to have only highs rather than lows, then where else to turn but Wrexham? The Hollywood-owned Championship team have enjoyed an incredible rise to prominence since Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds bought the club five years ago, when they were in the fifth-tier National League. They have become the first team in English football history to achieve three successive promotions and they are now, remarkably, just one point outside the Championship playoff places, so the incredible dream of playing in the Premier League next season is still alive.

But throughout Wrexham’s climb through the divisions, they had never faced a Premier League team until Nottingham Forest arrive at Stok Cae Ras on Friday. That crucial measuring stick of playing against a top-tier side would enable Rob, Ryan and manager Phil Parkinson to gauge just how far from bridging the gap this Wrexham team is and show how much work still needed to be done.

But in a game which set the tone for the weekend that followed, Wrexham produced a performance which suggested they are really not far from competing against the Premier League sides on a level footing. Their pulsating 3-3 draw ended with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo becoming the hero in a 4-3 penalty shootout win that put Wrexham into Round 4, setting up the prospect of a tie against a heavyweight such as Arsenal, City or Chelsea, or even lowly Macclesfield.

But there will be no United or Spurs and no Crystal Palace — and definitely no winners ball — in the next round.