FA Cup
all times London time
Every round
14 rounds · 531 tiesThe FA Cup is a straight knockout open to the whole English pyramid: this season's 743 accepted clubs enter in waves, from the extra preliminary round in August up to the Premier League and Championship sides in January's third round. In the six qualifying rounds a tie that finishes level is replayed at the other club's ground, with extra time and penalties if the replay is level after ninety minutes. From the first round proper there are no replays, under the agreement that scrapped them from 2024-25, and a level tie is settled on the day. Every round has a published Saturday date, though individual ties can move to the surrounding days. The final is at Wembley on 22 May 2027.
Who plays · 438 clubs start the competition: 315 from step 5 of the pyramid and the 123 lowest-ranked step-4 sides — 219 ties.
Draw · Made 3 July 2026 and published in full, together with the preliminary round.
When · Saturday 8 August 2026, 3pm kick-offs by default; a tie can move to the Friday before or the Sunday after.
How it works · One initial match at the first-drawn club's ground; a draw is replayed at the opponent's ground by Thursday 13 August. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. The draw is regionalised.
259 ties · complete
Who plays · The 219 winners are joined by the 53 best remaining step-4 clubs — 136 ties.
Draw · Also made 3 July 2026, drawn a round ahead: every tie is already published, with placeholders where extra-preliminary winners will slot in on 8 August.
When · Saturday 22 August 2026.
How it works · One initial match; a draw means a replay at the other club's ground, by Thursday 27 August. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. Regionalised.
160 ties · complete
Who plays · All 88 step-3 clubs enter against the preliminary-round winners — 112 ties.
Draw · Not yet made — the FA has published no draw dates beyond 3 July; qualifying draws are expected round by round through the autumn.
When · Saturday 5 September 2026.
How it works · One initial match; a draw is replayed at the other club's ground. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. Regionalised.
Up next — the current round
Second round qualifying
Not yet drawnWho plays · The 48 step-2 clubs — National League North and South — enter against the winners: 80 ties.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Saturday 19 September 2026.
How it works · One initial match; a draw is replayed at the other club's ground. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. Regionalised.
Third round qualifying
Not yet drawnWho plays · Nobody new enters: the 80 second-round-qualifying winners play 40 ties.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Saturday 3 October 2026.
How it works · One initial match; a draw is replayed at the other club's ground. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. Regionalised.
Fourth round qualifying
Not yet drawnWho plays · All 24 National League clubs enter — 32 ties, the last rung before the competition proper.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Saturday 17 October 2026.
How it works · One initial match; a draw is replayed at the other club's ground — the last round with replays. A replay level after ninety minutes is decided by extra time and penalties. Regionalised.
First round
Not yet drawn · 48 knownWho plays · All 48 League One and League Two clubs join the 32 qualifiers — 40 ties.
Draw · Not yet made; by convention a broadcast draw shortly after the fourth-qualifying weekend.
When · Weekend of Saturday 7 November 2026.
How it works · From here the draw is national and unseeded, and there are no more replays: a level tie is settled on the day by extra time and penalties.
Known to enter · 48 clubs — who they are
Second round
Not yet drawnWho plays · The 40 first-round winners — 20 ties.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Weekend of Saturday 5 December 2026.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Third round
Not yet drawn · 44 knownWho plays · All 20 Premier League and all 24 Championship clubs enter — 64 clubs, 32 ties.
Draw · Not yet made; by convention a broadcast draw in early December.
When · Weekend of Saturday 9 January 2027.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Known to enter · 44 clubs — who they are
Fourth round
Not yet drawnWho plays · The 32 third-round winners — 16 ties.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Weekend of Saturday 13 February 2027.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Fifth round
Not yet drawnWho plays · The last 16 — 8 ties.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Weekend of Saturday 6 March 2027.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Quarter-finals
Not yet drawnWho plays · The last eight — 4 ties, at the first-drawn club's ground.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Weekend of Saturday 3 April 2027.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Semi-finals
Not yet drawnWho plays · The last four — both ties at Wembley, by long-standing convention.
Draw · Not yet made.
When · Weekend of Saturday 24 April 2027.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.
Final
Not yet drawnWho plays · The final, at Wembley Stadium.
When · Saturday 22 May 2027 — an exclusive Saturday, with no Premier League fixtures that day.
How it works · One match; extra time and penalties if level.