The FA Cup semi-final draw has been confirmed, with Crystal Palace set to face Aston Villa, while Nottingham Forest will take on either Bournemouth or Manchester City at Wembley.

The semi-finals are scheduled to take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April, with history at stake as Forest, Villa, and Crystal Palace look to break the long-standing dominance of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United, who have won nearly every FA Cup over the past 30 years.

For Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, winning the FA Cup would mark their first-ever major trophy, while Nottingham Forest last lifted the cup in 1959 and Aston Villa in 1957.

How the Semi-Finalists Reached Wembley

Crystal Palace became the first team to secure their place in the last four with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Fulham in Saturday’s London derby. Later that evening, Nottingham Forest edged out Brighton on penalties after a tightly contested encounter.

On Sunday afternoon, Aston Villa dispatched the only remaining Championship side, Preston North End, with a commanding 3-0 victory at Deepdale. Marcus Rashford, enjoying a resurgence under Unai Emery, was instrumental in the win, scoring twice in the second half.

The final semi-finalist will be determined later on Sunday, when Bournemouth host Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium in a 4:30 pm kick-off.

Bournemouth Aim to Upset Manchester City Again

Despite their impressive form this season, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth head into their quarter-final clash as underdogs against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. However, the Cherries have already proven their ability to disrupt City’s dominance, having secured a 2-1 league victory in November, ending City’s 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

For Manchester City, who have endured an uncharacteristically inconsistent season, the FA Cup remains their final opportunity for silverware. The seven-time FA Cup winners have won their last seven quarter-final ties, lifting the trophy as recently as 2023 after defeating rivals Manchester United 2-1. However, their defence of the title ended the following year, when they suffered a 2-1 defeat to United.

FA Cup History and Past Performances

Crystal Palace have twice reached the FA Cup final but were runners-up on both occasions, losing in 1990 and 2016.

For Nottingham Forest, this will be their first semi-final appearance since 1991, when they fell to Tottenham Hotspur, and they are aiming for their first FA Cup final in over three decades.

Aston Villa remain the most successful of the confirmed semi-finalists, having won the competition seven times. However, their last Wembley appearance in the FA Cup ended in disappointment, as they were thrashed 4-0 by Arsenal in the 2015 final.