Brentford Advances to FA Cup Fifth Round After Macclesfield Upset

Brentford will face West Ham in the next round after a late own goal eliminated the underdog Macclesfield Town.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Brentford defeated Macclesfield Town 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round on Monday, advancing to the fifth round of the prestigious English football tournament. The decisive goal came via an own goal late in the match, ending Macclesfield's Cinderella run as the underdog giant-killer.

Why it matters

The FA Cup is one of the oldest and most prestigious domestic cup competitions in world football, attracting significant attention and interest from fans. Macclesfield's surprise run to the fourth round as a lower-league club generated excitement, but Brentford's victory sets up an intriguing matchup with Premier League side West Ham in the next round.

The details

Brentford, a Championship club, managed to break down the stubborn defense of Macclesfield, a team from the sixth tier of English football, and scored the winning goal in the 87th minute when a Brentford cross was accidentally deflected into the Macclesfield net by one of their own players.

  • The match was played on Monday, February 17, 2026.
  • Brentford scored the decisive own goal in the 87th minute of the match.

The players

Brentford

A professional football club that plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.

Macclesfield Town

A professional football club that plays in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football.

West Ham

A Premier League club that will face the winner of the Brentford-Macclesfield match in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The winner of the Brentford-West Ham fifth round match will advance to the quarterfinals of the 2025-26 FA Cup.

The takeaway

Macclesfield's impressive run in the FA Cup as a lower-league underdog came to an end, but the match highlighted the magic of the historic tournament where any team can potentially knock out a higher-ranked opponent.