2025/26 FA Cup: Fixtures, results, draws & TV information

The world’s oldest cup competition is back for another season, with the first round proper getting underway as we head into autumn.

Last year’s final saw Crystal Palace secure their first major honour by upsetting Manchester City, as Eberechi Eze’s first-half strike proved to be the winner on a magical day for the Eagles.

The FA Cup first round sees EFL clubs from League One and League Two enter the competition, all with hopes of a lucrative run into the latter stages and providing a memorable journey for their supporters.

They are joined by 32 non-league clubs at this particular hurdle, including the likes of last year’s giant-killers Tamworth and eighth-tier Maldon & Tiptree, who have both been handed League One opposition in the first round.

The success and longevity of the FA Cup lies within its simplicity. The knockout format has produced some magical moments over the years, with the competition becoming known for producing plenty of David and Goliath stories.

Despite this, the bigger clubs have won the majority of titles, with Arsenal (14), Manchester United (13), Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur (all 8) the most frequent winners.

There has been the odd shock winner, perhaps most notably Wimbledon in 1988 and Wigan Athletic in 2013 in more modern times.

Meanwhile, no team outside of the top flight of English football has won the trophy since West Ham United did so in 1980.

Historically, drawn matches were followed by replays, though these were scrapped by the Football Association from the first round onwards in 2024 in a bid to ease fixture congestion.

Rather understandably, clubs from lower down the football pyramid vehemently opposed the decision, which was seen as an agreement that went over the heads of clubs from the EFL and below.

The weekends for FA Cup fixtures in the 2025/26 season have been set, though actual fixture dates are subject to change as TV selections are made.

This season’s third round takes place in the second week of January, while this year’s final takes place a week before the end of the Premier League season, which is followed by the Champions League final a week later.

Draws typically take place on the same weekends as the previous round, often tied in with television coverage.

Luton Town – a Premier League club 18 months ago – will host the opening match of the first round when they take on Forest Green Rovers at Kenilworth Road.

There are three all-League One ties to look forward to, including high-flying Cardiff City’s trip to struggling Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers’ clash with Huddersfield Town.

Elsewhere, there will be at least eight non-league clubs in the second round, with ties including an Essex derby between Chelmsford City and Braintree Town, and the only all-fifth-tier fixture as Wealdstone host Southend United.

The FA will hand out just under £23.5m in prize money to teams participating in the FA Cup this season. How much each team gets is determined by how far they go, with prize money increasing by each round.

Teams that make it through to the third round will be £127,250 better off – even more if they also came through qualifying.

There are also fees for losing teams up until the third round, with every club in the first round guaranteed to receive £15,800.

A Premier League or Championship team going all the way will pocket a cool £4.14m, while winning the semi-final alone is almost as lucrative as a side advancing through each of the 12 preceding rounds.

This year’s television coverage sees rights split between the BBC and TNT Sports. The latter has the majority of the coverage, including all non-3pm Saturday matches from the third round onwards.

TNT Sports will also share broadcasting duties for all matches selected for BBC broadcast.

The BBC has rights to two matches per round up until the quarter-finals, while it will show one semi-final and the final.

Graduated in Sport Journalism (BA) with first-class honours from the University of Brighton and has since had bylines in The Times, sports business publication SportsPro, Football FanCast and The Gooner fanzine.