Tolu Arokodare celebrates goal for Wolverhampton Wanderers. (Photo by Imago)
The draw for the fifth round of the English FA Cup took place on Monday evening, and the remaining clubs in the competition now know their opponents.
Soccernet.ng reports that there are still several Nigerian players left in the competition, and they will be looking to spur their teams to success. In the draw that was made, four out of the eight fixtures will feature at least one Nigerian player.
In the first fixture, Fulham will take on Southampton. The Cottagers had to stage a comeback to knock out Stoke City in the last round, and they currently have three Super Eagles regulars in their fold: Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, and Alex Iwobi. These players will likely participate in the fixture, hoping to lead their team to success.
In another tie, Wolverhampton Wanderers will face Liverpool. Tolu Arokodare has a significant test on his hands, as he will have to produce the necessary attacking output against a star-studded Liverpool side.
In another game, Wrexham will trade tackles with Chelsea for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Nigerian goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo will be the man between the posts for the Championship side, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
It will be an uphill task for him, as the Blues are arguably one of the best teams in the world right now. Wrexham will have to be at their absolute best to stand even the slightest chance of an upset.
The FA Cup Fifth Round draw is set.
Mansfield host Arsenal. Wrexham face Chelsea. And Newcastle play Manchester City. pic.twitter.com/h9SqaxYWoV
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) February 16, 2026
The Other FA Cup Ties
Aside from the games involving Nigerian players who have committed to the national team, there are several other interesting ties.
Sunderland will face the winner of the match between Port Vale and Bristol City, while Leeds United take on Norwich City.
Mansfield will lock horns with Arsenal, and West Ham are set to face the winner of the replay between Brentford and Macclesfield.
Then, in the biggest tie of the round, Newcastle United will slug it out with Manchester City.
The games will be played between Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8. All the Nigerian players involved will be hoping to lead their respective teams to success.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
