FA Cup Dates 2026/27: Rounds, Draws and Rules
See every 2026/27 FA Cup round date, when each league enters, replay rules and the road to the Final at Wembley.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026/27 FA Cup started on 8 August 2026, and the Final is scheduled for Saturday 22 May 2027 at Wembley.
- There are six qualifying rounds, then eight rounds in the Competition Proper, which simply means the main FA Cup from the First Round onward.
- League One and League Two clubs enter in the First Round Proper. Premier League and Championship clubs join in the Third Round.
- Replays still exist in qualifying, but not once the Competition Proper starts. A drawn proper-round tie goes to extra time and, if needed, penalties.
- As of 30 October 2026, qualifying is done and the First Round Proper is next. Forty ties have been drawn, with matches running from Friday 6 November through Monday 9 November because television selections have moved a handful away from the main Saturday slot.
If you have not followed the FA Cup format closely for a few years, there is one change worth knowing straight away: replays are gone from the Competition Proper. A replay is simply a second match played after the first one ends level. Those still happen in qualifying, but from the First Round onward, a draw is settled on the day.
That makes the competition a bit easier to follow once the EFL clubs arrive. There are six qualifying stages, then eight proper rounds, ending with the Final at Wembley on 22 May 2027.
FA Cup 2026/27 round dates
These are the FA's official main round dates for 2026/27. The important word there is main: individual fixtures can move to the Friday, Sunday or Monday around that date for television or scheduling.
- Extra Preliminary Round: Saturday 8 August 2026
- Preliminary Round: Saturday 22 August 2026
- First Round Qualifying: Saturday 5 September 2026
- Second Round Qualifying: Saturday 19 September 2026
- Third Round Qualifying: Saturday 3 October 2026
- Fourth Round Qualifying: Saturday 17 October 2026
- First Round Proper: Saturday 7 November 2026
- Second Round Proper: Saturday 5 December 2026
- Third Round Proper: Saturday 9 January 2027
- Fourth Round Proper: Saturday 13 February 2027
- Fifth Round Proper: Saturday 6 March 2027
- Quarter-final: Saturday 3 April 2027
- Semi-final: Saturday 24 April 2027
- Final: Saturday 22 May 2027
The First Round is a good example of why you should not treat that Saturday as the only possible match date. The FA's current fixture schedule runs from Friday 6 November to Monday 9 November, with most non-televised games still at 3pm on Saturday 7 November.
The next confirmed draw is the Second Round Proper draw on Monday 9 November, before Plymouth Parkway v Berkhamsted. After that, draw dates are announced separately rather than being fixed for the whole season months in advance.
How many rounds are in the FA Cup?
If you count every named stage, there are 14 in the 2026/27 FA Cup:
- Six qualifying rounds.
- Eight rounds in the Competition Proper.
The qualifying part runs from the Extra Preliminary Round through to the Fourth Round Qualifying. Then the Competition Proper starts with the First Round and continues through the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals and Final.
That is why you sometimes see two different answers online. If someone says the FA Cup has eight rounds, they are usually counting only the Competition Proper. If they count from the very first qualifying stage, the total is 14.
When do League One and League Two clubs enter?
League One and League Two clubs enter in the First Round Proper.
For 2026/27, that draw was made on 19 October. The clubs that survived qualifying were joined by League One and League Two sides, creating 40 first-round ties.
This is where the competition starts to look much more familiar if you mainly watch EFL or Premier League football. But the fun part is that those EFL clubs can immediately be sent away to non-league teams that have already fought through several rounds just to get there.
When do Premier League and Championship clubs enter?
Premier League and Championship clubs join in the Third Round Proper, scheduled around Saturday 9 January 2027.
This is the round most casual fans think of when they think "FA Cup weekend". Suddenly the biggest clubs in England are in the same draw as the teams that survived the first two proper rounds, and you can get a Premier League side travelling to a much smaller ground.
It is also where betting interest jumps. If you are comparing bookmakers for the bigger FA Cup weekends, our best UK betting sites guide is the broad starting point rather than trying to judge five bookmakers from their FA Cup markets alone.
Are there FA Cup replays in 2026/27?
Yes in qualifying. No in the Competition Proper.
In the qualifying rounds, a level tie still goes to a replay, up to and including the Fourth Round Qualifying.
Once the First Round Proper starts, there are no replays. That change has applied throughout the Competition Proper since the 2024/25 season, and the 2026/27 competition rules keep it.
And this is not a tiny technical change. Under the old format, a non-league or lower-league club could hold a major team to a draw, then get a second match at the bigger club's stadium. That could be a huge occasion and a huge payday. Now, once qualifying is over, the tie has to be settled in one day.
What happens if an FA Cup proper match is drawn?
If a Competition Proper match is level after 90 minutes, the teams play 30 minutes of extra time. If it is still level after that, the tie goes to a penalty shootout.
So imagine a First Round tie finishes 1-1 after normal time. There is no second game a week later. You get two 15-minute periods of extra time, then penalties if nobody has won it.
There is a betting catch here though. The football match can continue into extra time, while a standard 90-minute match-result bet normally stops at the end of normal time. A "to qualify" bet is different because it cares about who eventually goes through.
So always read the market name rather than assuming "the match went to extra time" means every bet is still running. If you want to check one bookmaker more closely, our Betfred review covers the wider UK product and rules context.
What is an FA Cup run worth?
Quite a lot, especially for a non-league club. Every club is paid per round, and in the early Competition Proper rounds the losers get a cheque too. These are the FA's 2026/27 prize fund figures:
| Round | Winners | Losers |
|---|---|---|
| First Round | £47,750 | £15,800 |
| Second Round | £79,500 | £21,200 |
| Third Round | £121,500 | £26,500 |
| Fourth Round | £127,000 | Not paid |
| Fifth Round | £238,500 | Not paid |
| Quarter-final | £477,000 | Not paid |
| Semi-final | £1,060,000 | £530,000 |
| Final | £2,120,000 | £1,060,000 |
Television adds more. All 16 clubs in the eight televised First Round ties receive a £50,000 broadcast fee on top of their prize money. For a non-league side, one live TV pick can be worth more than winning all six qualifying rounds, which pays a little over £23,000 in total.
When is the 2027 FA Cup Final?
The 2026/27 FA Cup Final is scheduled for Saturday 22 May 2027 at Wembley Stadium.
The date and venue are confirmed. The exact kick-off time is not something worth pretending to know months early. That will be locked in closer to the Final once the FA and broadcasters confirm the schedule.
The semi-finals are scheduled around Saturday 24 April, so the finalists should have roughly four weeks between the semi-final weekend and Wembley.
Where is the FA Cup right now?
As of 30 October 2026, qualifying is complete and the First Round Proper is next.
The draw produced 40 ties. Eight matches have been selected for live TNT Sports coverage, with two of those also on BBC Two and iPlayer. The televised schedule starts with Oxford City v Leicester City on Friday 6 November and ends with Plymouth Parkway v Berkhamsted on Monday 9 November.
The eight televised First Round ties are:
- Friday 6 November: Oxford City v Leicester City, 7.45pm (TNT Sports)
- Saturday 7 November: Altrincham v Notts County, 5.30pm (TNT Sports and BBC Two)
- Saturday 7 November: Peterborough United v Reading, 8pm (TNT Sports)
- Sunday 8 November: Stafford Rangers v Grimsby Town, midday (TNT Sports)
- Sunday 8 November: Cray Wanderers v Stockport County, 2.15pm (TNT Sports and BBC Two)
- Sunday 8 November: Wimborne Town v Crawley Town, 3pm (TNT Sports)
- Sunday 8 November: Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday, 5.15pm (TNT Sports)
- Monday 9 November: Plymouth Parkway v Berkhamsted, 7.30pm (TNT Sports)
Most of the other fixtures remain at 3pm on Saturday 7 November. Then the Second Round draw takes place on Monday 9 November before Plymouth Parkway v Berkhamsted, with the Second Round itself scheduled around Saturday 5 December.
That is the part of this page that will keep moving through the season. The main round dates are already fixed, but television picks, kick-off times and draw details get added closer to each stage.
If you prefer to compare one bookmaker before a big cup weekend, our BoyleSports review is another UK-specific option. But for any individual bet, the market wording on the bet slip matters more than the brand's general review.
Safer gambling: cup upsets are part of the fun, and they are also why no football bet is ever a sure thing. Set a budget before a big cup weekend and stick to it. If gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you know, the National Gambling Helpline is free and available 24/7 on 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
How many qualifying rounds are in the FA Cup?
There are six in 2026/27: Extra Preliminary, Preliminary, First Qualifying, Second Qualifying, Third Qualifying and Fourth Qualifying.
When do Premier League teams enter the FA Cup?
Premier League clubs enter in the Third Round Proper alongside Championship clubs. The 2026/27 Third Round is scheduled around Saturday 9 January 2027.
When do League One and League Two teams enter?
They enter in the First Round Proper. For 2026/27, the official main round date is Saturday 7 November, with selected ties moved across 6 to 9 November.
Are there still FA Cup replays?
Only in qualifying. From the First Round Proper onward, a draw goes to extra time and then penalties if needed.
When is the FA Cup Final in 2027?
Saturday 22 May 2027 at Wembley Stadium. The exact kick-off time will be confirmed closer to the match.
Alan Woods
Content Editor
Alan reviews casinos the same way he used to assess security risks: nothing gets the benefit of the doubt until it holds up under scrutiny. His cyber security background means he checks the things most reviews overlook, like licensing, how a site handles your data, and what the withdrawal terms actually deliver once the welcome offer is out of the way. He’s a published author as well, so you get the verdict in plain English instead of a technical checklist. In the UK edition, he focuses on UK Gambling Commission licensing, player protections and the terms attached to casino offers.
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