Chelsea hosts Port Vale on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Stamford Bridge, in a match corresponding to the FA Cup quarterfinals. The match kicks off at 5:15 p.m. (London time), in a knockout tie that features two teams with very different realities but the same goal: to keep advancing.

For Chelsea, this competition represents a great opportunity to close the season with a title. After being recently eliminated from the Champions League by PSG, the London side focuses all its efforts on the FA Cup, where they start as favorites and look to assert their home dominance.

Injuries and doubts for the match:

Reece James (thigh), Levi Colwill (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (ankle), Filip Jorgensen (groin), Mykhaylo Mudryk (doping suspended), and Enzo Fernandez (suspended).

Liam Rosenior’s men want to bounce back against a League One (third-division) opponent, whom they cannot take lightly, and reach the semifinals of the only tournament in which they can win a trophy this season.

Robert Sanchez is the starter in goal for Chelsea, with Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo in defense. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are the stars in midfield, along with Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garnacho, and Joao Pedro in attack.

Opposite them will be a Port Vale side that has already exceeded all expectations. The League One team arrives after eliminating Sunderland and has become the great revelation of the tournament. Additionally, the matchup has a historic flavor: the two clubs have not faced each other since 1929 and have never done so in this competition, which adds special appeal to the match.

Joe Gauci will be in goal, with Cameron Humphreys and Connor Hall in the center of defense. Jordan Shipley and Funso Ojo command the midfield to set up Ben Garrity on offense.

Chelsea lost in the last round of the Premier League, 3-0 to Everton. Meanwhile, Port Vale lost 4-0 to Wycombe Wanderers in the English League One.

The amazing thing is that the last time they faced each other was nearly 100 years ago. We are talking about April 6, 1929, when Port Vale beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Championship that season. We will see how their next meeting unfolds nearly a century later.

Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers. 

Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favorite teams and news!