2025-26 FA Cup: Third Round – Salford vs Swindon

Salford City meet Swindon Town in a rearranged third-round tie in the 2025-26 FA Cup. 

With the tie having originally been postponed due to a frozen pitch, the winner will now head to last season’s runner-up, Manchester City in the fourth round on Saturday 14 February 2026 at 3pm GMT.

 

Team News

Ossama Ashley could feature for Salford following his return from a calf injury, although he wasn’t fit enough for the matchday squad in their League Two win at Swindon last Saturday.

Tom Edwards, Kadeem Harris, Ade Oluwo (all unspecified), Michael Rose (leg), Jay Bird (Achilles) and Dan Chesters (ACL) remain absent.

Swindon could welcome Billy Bodin back after he sat out their league clash due to an issue related to his recent return from a hamstring injury.

Tom Wilson-Brown however suffered an unspecified injury during that match and is set to miss out on this cup trip.

Ollie Clarke (suspension), Danny Butterworth, Paul Glatzel (both hamstring), Jamie Knight-Lebel (hip) and Harry Smith (ACL) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Salford host Swindon at Peninsula Stadium on Tuesday 20 January at 7:45pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• This is Salford’s first FA Cup meeting against Swindon.
• Swindon have avoided defeat in four of their six previous trips to Salford in all competitions (W3, D1, L2).
• Salford and Swindon have both scored in five of their six clashes in Greater Manchester, except for a 1-0 Swindon win in August 2021.
• Kelly N’Mai has scored in both of Salford’s first two ties in this season’s FA Cup (W2), although their first-round tie against Lincoln City ended in a 1-1 draw before they won 4-2 on penalties.
• Excluding penalty shootouts, Swindon are unbeaten in their last four all-EFL ties in the FA Cup since a 4-0 first-round loss at Stockport in November 2022 (W3, D1).

 

Prediction

With the psychological edge of Saturday’s league victory, Salford come into this tie full of confidence after their clinical performance but they will have to be wary of a strong reaction from Swindon, so a strong-imposing start might be needed if they’re to stop Swindon’s Aaron Drinan and Ollie Palmer.

Swindon manager, Ian Holloway meanwhile has a slight condundrum because whilst his team has an opportunity to set up a fourth-round trip to Man City, he will have one eye on their tricky top of League Two trip to Bromley on Saturday so I do expect changes.

Either way this is set up to be another cracking game but I do think that Salford will be too strong for Swindon, such is the likelihood that the visitors’ eye is mainly on their massive league visit to Bromley on Saturday.

Prediction: Salford 2-1 Swindon

Result: Salford 3-2 Swindon