6th-tier Macclesfield oust holders Crystal Palace in all-time FA Cup stunner
Macclesfield, a club in England's sixth tier, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in FA Cup history Saturday, eliminating reigning champions Crystal Palace with a 2-1 win in their third-round match.
Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored either side of the break for Macclesfield. The National League North outfit then held on for the victory despite Palace playmaker Yeremy Pino converting a superb 90th-minute free-kick.
Macclesfield, who are managed by Wayne Rooney's brother John, are the first non-league team to eliminate the FA Cup holders since 1909. The last non-league side was, incredibly, Crystal Palace, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers on that occasion.
"I can't believe it, we never thought we would be in this position," Silkmen boss Rooney told BBC One. "We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn't be any prouder of the lads."
"I couldn't have asked any more of them and you can see the joy in them."
Buckley-Ricketts, a Manchester United fan who idolized his boss' elder sibling growing up, showed great improvisation to score his the eventual match-winning goal at Moss Rose. However, the scrappiness that preceded his touch, and the way the ball dribbled over the line, was typical lower-league fare.
Absolute carnage! 🤯
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 10, 2026
Sixth-tier @thesilkmen have doubled their lead against the holders @CPFC!
📺 Watch live on @BBCMOTD and @footballontnt pic.twitter.com/0AZPlWkt7x
Macclesfield, positioned 117 places below Crystal Palace in the English league pyramid, dragged their illustrious opponents down to their level with a memorable performance. They outshot Palace 13-12.
Palace's previous FA Cup match was their famous win over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in last May's final.
"We had no kind of quality today and I saw no one who could win a dribble. Then conceding set goals and timing in the header," Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner said to BBC Sport post-match.
"If you can't create clear chances, it is a lack of quality that we have shown today. We deserved to lose."
Macclesfield now shift focus to matches against Woking, Oxford City, and Hereford after beating a team that featured English internationals Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton.