Chelsea and Port Vale last met in any competition in April 1929 in a league encounter, won 1-0 by the Valiants. All 14 meetings between the teams were in the second tier between 1905-06 and 1928-29 (7 Chelsea wins, 4 draws, 3 Port Vale wins).
Port Vale have never won an away game against Chelsea in seven attempts (D1 L6), with only four teams playing more times there without a win: Hull City (23 games), Bristol City (13), Reading (10), and Swindon Town (8).
Chelsea have progressed from 64 of their last 66 FA Cup ties against sides from outside the Premier League, failing in this run only against Barnsley in 2007-08 and Bradford City in 2014-15. In domestic cup competitions since 2015-16, the Blues have had 37 ties against lower league teams and progressed from all 37.
Port Vale are in just their second ever FA Cup quarter-final, previously reaching this stage in the 1953-54 campaign when they knocked out Leyton Orient. In the time between the Valiants last appearing at this stage, Chelsea have played 30 quarter-final ties.
Should Chelsea win this tie, they will have reached the FA Cup semi-final without facing a top-flight opponent for the fourth time under the competition’s current format (from 1925-26) – which would be the joint-most of any side, equalling Tottenham Hotspur. Indeed, the last side to do so were the Blues themselves in 2021-22 (Arsenal could also do this in 2025-26).
After beating Sunderland in the fifth round, Port Vale are looking to become the first side from the third tier or lower to eliminate two Premier League clubs in a single FA Cup campaign since Wigan Athletic in 2017-18 (3 – Bournemouth, West Ham, Man City). The Valiants themselves last achieved this feat in 1953-54 (the season of their only previous quarter-final), knocking out Cardiff City and Blackpool.
Chelsea’s João Pedro has scored seven goals in his last seven FA Cup appearances. Six of these have come since the start of 2023-24, with no player netting more times in the competition in this period.
Ben Waine has scored three FA Cup goals this season, including Port Vale’s winner in both the fourth and fifth rounds against Bristol City and Sunderland. The last player to score four in a single campaign in the competition for the club was Tom Pope in 2019-20.
