FA Cup 2026-27: Everything You Need to Know This Season

Introduction

FA Cup 2026-27 looks like an exciting ride for the clubs. The competition is the oldest national competition in the history of football. Each season has its own share of excitement and memories for both players and fans. Teams from many leagues join hands to get the cup. Teams from lower leagues want to defeat the legends of the game. On the other hand, teams in the Premier League want to clinch another cup. The journey to Wembley begins in August and ends in May every year. Every round will have its own story and incredible moments. Fans can look forward to exciting matches, thrilling results, and amazing performances in the FA Cup 2026-27 season.

FA Cup 2026-27 Key Dates

FA Cup 2026-27 Schedule Announced by the Football Association. The Extra Preliminary Round kicks off the tournament in August. The First-Round Proper takes place in November. Clubs from the Premier League and Championship come into the tournament in January in the Third Round Proper. The iconic Wembley final will be played on 22nd May 2027. Each round gives teams another chance to advance towards the biggest trophy in England’s domestic league.

Complete FA Cup 2026-27 Schedule

Round	Date	Entering This Round
Extra Preliminary Round	Sat 8 Aug 2026	Lowest-ranked amateur/non-league clubs
Preliminary Round	Sat 22 Aug 2026
First Round Qualifying	Sat 5 Sep 2026
Second Round Qualifying	Sat 19 Sep 2026
Third Round Qualifying	Sat 3 Oct 2026
Fourth Round Qualifying	Sat 17 Oct 2026	National League clubs
First Round Proper	Sat 7 Nov 2026	League One & League Two clubs
Second Round Proper	Sat 5 Dec 2026
Third Round Proper	Sat 9 Jan 2027	Premier League & Championship clubs
Fourth Round Proper	Sat 13 Feb 2027
Fifth Round Proper	Sat 6 Mar 2027
Quarter Final	Sat 3 Apr 2027
Semi Final	Sat 24 Apr 2027	Saturday-Sunday at Wembley Stadium
Final	Sat 22 May 2027	Wembley Stadium, London

FA Cup Format Explained

FA Cup 2026-27 is open to teams from all ranks in the English football league system. Hundreds of teams start their adventure in the qualification stages. Early rounds allow non-league teams to qualify for the proper rounds of the cup.

Teams from League One and League Two start in the First-Round Proper. National League teams qualify through competition regulations. Championship and Premier League teams get byes until the Third-Round Proper. This round is renowned for producing many memorable games between top teams and teams from the lower leagues.

A tie will be determined by just one match between the two teams. Extra time will be played if there is no score difference after the normal game time. A penalty shootout determines the winner. This makes the competition much more exciting because every game is a knockout game.

The FA Cup continues to be one of the most unpredictable competitions in football. There are always giant-killing stories every year when lesser-known teams knock out big names. There are many footballers who have made names for themselves in the FA Cup tournament. Winning the FA Cup means qualifying for European football.

FA Cup 2026-27 Prize Money Breakdown

The FA Cup is a tournament that awards clubs from the initial stages of the competition. Prize money provides lower league teams with the ability to upgrade their facilities and develop their players. Advancement to the next stage may bring a lot of financial benefit. Smaller teams depend on such an award to strengthen themselves in the future. The prize money makes every team compete with total dedication.

Round	Winners	Losers
Extra Preliminary Round	£1,125	£375
Preliminary Round	£1,444	£481
First Round Qualifying	£2,250	£750
Second Round Qualifying	£3,375	£1,125
Third Round Qualifying	£5,625	£1,875
Fourth Round Qualifying	£9,375	£3,125
First Round Proper	£47,750	£15,800
Second Round Proper	£79,500	£21,200
Third Round Proper	£121,500	£26,500
Fourth Round Proper	£127,000	—
Fifth Round Proper	£238,000	—
Quarter-finals	£477,000	—
Semi-finals	£1,060,000	£530,000
Final	Winner: £2,120,000	Runner-up: £1,060,000

Which Clubs Enter at Each Stage of the FA Cup?

Qualifying Rounds (Non-League Teams)

• Extra Preliminary Round: Level 9 (Step 5) clubs and lower-ranked or newly promoted Level 8 (Step 4) clubs.
• Preliminary Round: The remaining, higher-ranked Level 8 (Step 4) clubs.
• First Qualifying Round: All Level 7 (Step 3) clubs.
• Second Qualifying Round: Level 6 clubs from the National League North and National League South.
• Third Qualifying Round: No new clubs enter this round.
• Fourth Qualifying Round: All Level 5 clubs from the National League.

The Competition Proper (Professional Leagues)

• First Round Proper: All 48 professional clubs from Level 3 (EFL League One) and Level 4 (EFL League Two).
• Second Round Proper: No new clubs enter this round.
• Third Round Proper: All 44 clubs from Level 1 (Premier League) and Level 2 (EFL Championship)

Competition Rules and New Regulations

Law 1 – The Field

Law 2 – The Ball

Law 3 – The Players

• Number of substitutes that may be used in senior ‘A’ international team friendly matches increased to eight. This may increase to eleven if both teams agree. They need to inform the referee in advance. The restriction to three substitution opportunities per team will apply
• Ten-second time limit for players to leave the field of play when being substituted. If the time limit is exceeded, the substitute cannot enter until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed
• Advance notice:
  Only the captain’s guidelines will become a compulsory protocol for all competitions as from 1st July 2027

Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment

• Accessories are permitted if they are not dangerous and if safely and securely covered

Law 5 – The Referee

• Competitions are permitted to use technology to help the referee make/change decisions in relation to the video assistant referee (VAR) protocol. Ball in/out of play (including goal line technology) and offside (including semi-automated offside technology)
• Clarification that the advantage may be applied when a restart is incorrectly taken, and the ball is in play
• Barring certain exceptions, players who receive assessment/treatment on the field of play will be considered. Similarly, players who cause play to be stopped due to injury must leave and remain off the field of play. This is for one minute after play has restarted
• VAR may review:
• an incorrect red card resulting from a clearly wrong second yellow card
• a player wrongly being shown a red or yellow card when the offense was committed by another player of either team
• a wrongly awarded corner kick if the decision can be changed immediately and without delaying the restart (competition option)

• Competitions have the option of providing referees, assistant referees and fourth officials with body cameras
• Accessories are permitted if they are not dangerous

Law 6 – The Other Match Officials

• Additions to VAR-reviewable incidents

Law 7 – The Duration of the Match

Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play

• Dropped ball text amended to clarify that the team that ‘would have gained possession’. This includes the team that would have taken the restart in situations where the ball would have gone out of play. When there is interference by a match official or outside agent, the ball is dropped at the position of the interference

Law 9 – The Ball in and out of Play

Law 10 – Determining the Outcome of a Match

• Confirmation of circular no. 31 concerning accidental double touches during penalties (penalty shoot-out)
• Removal of the automatic caution (YC) for the kicker if they and the goalkeeper offend at the same time

Law 11 – Offside

Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct

• No caution (YC) for a DOGSO offense if the advantage is played and a goal is scored
• Reference to ‘attackers’ added to the list of considerations for DOGSO

Law 13 – Free Kicks

Law 14 – The Penalty Kick

• Confirmation of circular no. 31 concerning accidental double touches at a penalty kick
• Removal of the automatic caution (YC) for the kicker if they and the goalkeeper offend at the same time

Law 15 – The Throw-in

• Use of a five-second visual countdown when a player/team is delaying the taking of a throw-in. If the time limit is exceeded, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team

Law 16 – The Goal Kick

• Use of a five-second visual countdown when a player/team is delaying the taking of a goal kick. If the time limit is exceeded, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team

Law 17 – The Corner Kick

Video assistant referee (VAR) protocol

• Red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow card reviewable
• Mistaken identity reviewable when a player is shown a yellow/red card. But the offense for which the card was shown was committed by another player of either team
• Competitions have the option of reviewing corner kicks that have clearly been incorrectly awarded. If the decision can be corrected immediately and without delaying the restart

Historic FA Cup Records

Record	Achievement
First FA Cup Season	1871–72
Most Successful Club in FA Cup	Arsenal (14 titles)
Oldest National Football Competition	FA Cup
Most Finals Played	Manchester United
Most Managerial Wins	Arsène Wenger (7 titles)
Most Consecutive Wins	Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers (3 consecutive titles)
All-Time Top Scorer	Ian Rush (40 Goals for Liverpool)
Most Individual Player Wins	Ashley Cole (7 Titles)
Most Goals in Single Match	Ted MacDougall (9 Goals for Bournemouth)

The competition has generated a lot of memorable games. Each generation has its own memory of the FA Cup. Giant-killing wins are one of the main characteristics of the competition. Clubs from the lower leagues have been showing that anything can happen in knockout competitions.

Where to Watch the FA Cup 2026-27?

Region	Official Broadcaster
United Kingdom	BBC Sport, ITV Sport
United States	ESPN
Canada	Sportsnet
Australia	Optus Sport
India	Official broadcaster to be confirmed before the season
Middle East & North Africa	beIN Sports

Broadcast rights may change before or during the season. Fans should check the official FA website for the latest international broadcasting information and streaming partners.

Why This FA Cup 2026-27 Season Feels Different

The FA Cup 2026-27 is sure to continue with the tradition of delivering knockout football that has made the competition so great. In each of the rounds, clubs of all standards will have the opportunity to face tougher teams and make history. Young players can prove themselves against bigger teams at a huge stage while the lower league clubs’ benefit from the money and exposure of being on television. Success in the competition can have a huge impact on a team in many ways. The journey to Wembley makes fans around the world excited with their big upsets and penalty shootouts. The FA Cup 2026-27 promises another exciting season filled with passion, surprises, and lasting football memories.

Final Thoughts

The FA Cup 2026-27 is still holding true to the legacy of exciting football through elimination. The FA Cup provides opportunities for all teams across all levels to achieve their dreams. The FA Cup is where determination, teamwork, and faith are rewarded. There is always something special about every FA Cup strong rivalry match. The FA Cup 2026-27 is set to provide more entertaining football memories again.