Key Points
- Fulham host Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round at Craven Cottage in London on Saturday 10 January 2026, with kick-off at 15:00 GMT.
- The tie brings together Premier League side Fulham and Championship club Middlesbrough, with both teams seeking progression and vital momentum in the new year.
- Broadcasters and live-score services are providing in-game updates, statistics and reaction as Marco Silva and Michael Carrick rotate squads while targeting a place in the fourth round.
London (West London News) January 10, 2026 – Fulham face Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup third round this afternoon, with the Premier League hosts and Championship visitors meeting in a high-stakes knockout tie in west London.
The match, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off, offers Marco Silva’s Fulham and Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough a chance to advance to the fourth round and build confidence as their league campaigns resume after the festive period.
What is at stake in Fulham vs Middlesbrough in the FA Cup?
According to fixtures information published by leading football data providers, the tie is part of the 2025–26 FA Cup third round and is being played at Craven Cottage, Fulham’s riverside home in London, with a scheduled start time of 15:00 UTC on Saturday 10 January 2026.
Reporting by national sports outlets notes that third-round weekend traditionally marks the point at which Premier League clubs such as Fulham enter the competition, joining Championship sides including Middlesbrough in a single-elimination format where each tie decides who advances to the fourth round draw.
As reported by the Sky Sports editorial team of Sky Sports, the Fulham–Middlesbrough fixture is listed as an FA Cup third-round match at Craven Cottage, underscoring the knockout nature of the contest and its significance within the domestic cup calendar.
How are Fulham and Middlesbrough approaching team selection?
Pre-match coverage by major football statistics services and broadcasters indicates that managers Marco Silva and Michael Carrick are expected to balance squad rotation with competitive intent, using the FA Cup tie to give minutes to fringe players while maintaining enough first-team quality to pursue progression.
Live data hubs and preview pages highlight that Fulham, as a Premier League club with a demanding league schedule, often use domestic cup fixtures to adjust line-ups, while Championship side Middlesbrough typically treat such ties as an opportunity to test themselves against top-flight opposition and to maintain form away from league pressure.
Reporting by editorial teams at established football platforms states that projected line-ups and live-updated team sheets will be confirmed closer to kick-off, with in-game services set to track substitutions, tactical changes and any injuries that may influence both clubs’ upcoming league fixtures.
What do previous Fulham vs Middlesbrough meetings tell us?
Historical head-to-head records compiled by recognised sports databases and broadcasters show that Fulham and Middlesbrough have met frequently in league competition in recent seasons, largely in the Championship, with several tight, low-scoring encounters.
According to match history published by ESPN and other football statistics providers, recent games between the sides have often been decided by a single goal or ended in draws, suggesting a competitive rivalry in which neither team has consistently dominated.
That pattern of closely contested fixtures provides context for today’s FA Cup tie, with both sets of players familiar with one another’s styles and several squad members having faced the same opponents across multiple seasons in the English league system.
How can supporters follow live coverage and match updates?
Major sports broadcasters and live-score platforms are providing real-time coverage of Fulham vs Middlesbrough, including live scores, in-game statistics, text updates and post-match reaction from Craven Cottage.
ESPN lists the game as part of its live FA Cup offering, presenting score updates, key match stats and a record of key events such as goals, bookings and substitutions throughout the third-round tie between Fulham and Middlesbrough.
Specialist live-score providers such as Sofascore and 365Scores are also carrying the fixture on their platforms, with pre-match sections outlining kick-off time, venue information and head-to-head data, and live sections set to deliver minute-by-minute updates once the game is under way.
As reported by the Sofascore editorial team of Sofascore, Fulham are hosting Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage in London with coverage including the match clock, team line-ups, statistics and live commentary-style text, allowing supporters unable to attend to follow developments in real time.
What wider context surrounds this FA Cup third-round tie?
The meeting comes at a busy stage of the domestic season, with Fulham managing the dual demands of Premier League fixtures and cup competitions and Middlesbrough balancing their Championship campaign with the opportunity of a cup run.
According to fixture lists and competition overviews published by leading football outlets, the FA Cup third round is a key point in the English football calendar, often producing high-profile clashes between top-flight and second-tier clubs and occasionally featuring upsets when lower-division sides eliminate Premier League opponents.
For Fulham, the tie offers a chance to progress while potentially rotating their squad after a congested run of league matches, whereas for Middlesbrough it provides an opportunity to test themselves in a knockout setting against higher-tier opposition and to secure both financial and sporting rewards associated with reaching the later stages of the competition.
Looking ahead, the winner of the Fulham vs Middlesbrough match will move into the FA Cup fourth round, with the draw determining the next opponent and venue, and both clubs aiming to keep their name in the competition as the season moves towards its business end.