Macclesfield recorded one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history on Saturday as they eliminated holders Crystal Palace in the third round.

Macclesfield, who play in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, are the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition but secured a 2-1 win against the Premier League side at Moss Rose.

A goal in either half from captain Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts ensured victory for the side managed by John Rooney — the brother of the former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney — who began the day 117 places below Palace in the football pyramid.

The victory means Macclesfield become the first non-league side to knock out the defending FA Cup holders in 117 years. Palace themselves were the last club to achieve that feat, when they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 1909.

It marks just the third time this century that a non-league side has knocked out Premier League opposition, with Macclesfield following in the footsteps of Luton Town, who eliminated Norwich City in the fourth round of the 2012-13 competition, and Lincoln City, who beat Burnley in the fifth round in 2017. Both Luton and Lincoln played in the National League at the time of their wins — one tier above Macclesfield.

The hosts took the lead in Saturday’s tie on the stroke of half time when Dawson headed home a free kick. The sixth-tier side doubled their advantage shortly after the hour mark as a deflected effort fell into the path of Buckley-Ricketts, who adjusted his body and flicked past goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

Christantus Uche thought he had pulled a goal back for Palace in the 69th minute, but his header was disallowed for offside. Yeremy Pino halved the deficit in the 89th minute with a free kick from the edge of the box, and Palace pushed for an equaliser as the clock ticked down, but they were unable to break Macclesfield’s resistance.

(Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)

A pitch invasion ensued on the final whistle as Macclesfield, who were founded in 2020 following the financial demise of its predecessor, Macclesfield Town, celebrated a historic victory.

“I thought we were incredible from the first minute,” Rooney, who was appointed head coach in 2025, told BBC Sport at full time. “The message at half time was to manage the game, can we slow the game down?

“Then we got 2-0 up, I didn’t see that coming. We were incredible to a man and I couldn’t be prouder of the lads.

“To go and win the game, I never would have thought it in my wildest dreams. I still can’t get my head around it but I thought we were the deserved winners.”

Palace won the FA Cup just over seven months ago with victory against Manchester City, securing the club’s first major trophy, and Saturday’s match was the start of their title defence.