The Arsenal u18s have learned their opponents for their first game of the 2026/27 FA Youth Cup, to be played over the next month.
The FA have confirmed the draw for the third round of the FA Youth Cup, which is the first round that Premier League and Championship academies take part in the competition.
Arsenal have drawn Championship club Cardiff City at home, so this will be both teams’ first game of the 2026/27 tournament.
The date of the game is currently to be confirmed, but all third-round ties must take place by Saturday, December 12th, with kick-offs at 7pm, unless mutually agreed otherwise.
The Arsenal u18s are in fantastic form at the moment, having won six u18 Premier League games in a row, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the u18 Premier League Cup.
The season hadn’t started particularly strongly, but the team’s current run has taken them up to within two points of u18 Premier League South leaders Chelsea, who are the young Gunners’ next opponents.
Admittedly, that will probably also be the team’s biggest test of their recent run, away from home against one of the top u18 sides around. But with Arsenal’s recent free-scoring form, they have a chance.
The Chelsea game will be the first game back after the international break, taking place on November 21st, and Arsenal already have matches on the calendar against Bournemouth on November 28th and Birmingham City on December 12th.
So the Cardiff City fixture will need to take place somewhere in between those matches.
Arsenal will be looking to better last season’s fourth round Youth Cup exit to Manchester City, after reaching the final under Jack Wilshere in 2022/23.
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