Chelsea v Leeds locked in

Chelsea and Leeds now know exactly when their Wembley trip is happening: the Football Association set the semi-final for Sunday, April 26 at 3 p.m., with TNT Sports carrying it live. (thefa.com) This is one half of the 2025-26 Football Association Challenge Cup semi-final weekend, with Manchester City facing Southampton on the other side of the bracket. The final is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, also at Wembley Stadium. (thefa.com, thefa.com) Chelsea got here by beating Port Vale 7-0 in the quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, April 4. That result sent Chelsea into the last four and cleared a path to a first Football Association Challenge Cup final since 2022. (skysports.com, thefa.com) Leeds took the messier route and probably the more memorable one. Daniel Farke’s team drew 2-2 with West Ham United after leading by two goals in stoppage time, then survived the penalty shootout to reach a first Football Association Challenge Cup semi-final since 1987. (leedsunited.com) The date matters for more than travel plans because both clubs had league fixtures moved to make room for Wembley. Chelsea said its away match with Brighton and Hove Albion would be rearranged into the midweek of April 21 to April 23, and Leeds has already shifted its trip to Bournemouth to Wednesday, April 22 at 8 p.m. (chelseafc.com, leedsunited.com) Wembley adds its own weight because the stadium is effectively the Football Association Challenge Cup’s last stop before the trophy. The Football Association’s competition calendar lists the semi-final stage for the weekend of April 25 and the final three weeks later on May 16. (thefa.com) There is also some history in this pairing beyond the current season. Chelsea’s own club history notes a previous Football Association Challenge Cup semi-final win over Leeds on April 29, 1967, which means this tie revives one of the older cup matchups between the clubs. (chelseafc.com) For supporters, the practical details are now the important ones: Sunday, April 26, Wembley Stadium, 3 p.m. in Britain, with TNT Sports showing it live. The Football Association fixture page is the official listing to watch for any later ticketing or access updates. (thefa.com, leedsunited.com)