FA Cup 2026-27: Extra Preliminary Round Ties & Picks.
Introduction
The most-awaited FA Cup is set to fire up the stage in this 2026-27 season. It starts with the Extra Preliminary Round, which consists of 219 ties. These are non-league clubs clashing for a place in football’s oldest knockout competition. This FA Cup matchday will showcase several interesting competitions. The teams are hopefully trying to make a strong start. The results from the match will create an impact on clubs and players. This leads to an impressive pathway to the FA Cup for the clubs involved.
Extra Preliminary Round – FA Cup Schedules
The below fixtures feature the top-tier teams in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Schedule. These selected teams are reviewed and discussed below.
The default date of games for the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round shall be Saturday 8 August 2026, with a kick-off time of 3:00 pm. The replay is compulsory in case of a draw after 90 minutes of the game. The replay should be fixed on or before Thursday 13 August 2026, at 7.45 pm. Should there be any delay to the first match, it should be rescheduled and conducted on or before Thursday 13 August 2026. In the event of a delay of the replay because of the delay of the first match, it should be done on or before Thursday 20 August 2026.
MATCH PREVIEWS
Blyth Spartans vs Newcastle Blue Star
Date: 8 August 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 10:00 AM ET | 07:00 AM PT | 07:30 PM IST
Venue: Croft Park, Plessey Road, Blyth.
Expected FA Cup Lineups
Blyth Spartans
Position
Primary Starter
Goalkeeper
Callum Dobson
Defenders
Charlie Wood, Spencer Ashcraft, Zack Simpson, Jack Vaulks
Midfielders
Jordan Hickey, Charlie Sterling, Paul Van-Zandvliet
Forwards
Kyle Downey, Lucas Taylor, Jack Foley
New Castle Blue Star
Position
Primary Starter
Goalkeeper
Phil Mills
Defenders
Andy Evans, Kyle Errington, Joe Eggleston, Charlie Smith, Matty Dopson
Midfielders
Connor Oliver, Sean Reid, Danny Anderson, Dean Armstrong, Matty Thompson, Ben Sayer, Richie Slaughter
Forwards
Michael Ndiweni, Andrew Johnson, Jordan Lamb, Konner Lamb, Euan Potts, David Buchanan, Alfie Coulthard, Leon Burke, Jay Richardson, Jakub Zych, Collins Unuareopka, Liam Gribbin, Ashton Birch
Team Analysis
Blyth Spartans is one of the top clubs in the Northern Premier League Division. They enter this matchup with greater experience in national competitions. Playing at their home ground will be an added advantage. Newcastle Blue Star is rebuilding and strengthening their squad in recent seasons. They rely on attacking depth, which troubles the opponents. Meanwhile, Blyth has prior experience in many seasons. Their defensive organization should prove decisive over ninety minutes. Fans can expect a complete encounter with scoring chances on both sides. The home team, with their advantage, seems slightly stronger.
Jake Carroll, Dylan Dwyer, Jacob Hanson, Cameron Lancaster, Sam Olawumi, Baba Fernandes, Noah Halford, Jordan Windass
Midfielders
Danny Wilkins, Ross Dent, Jake Connelly, Jack Massey, Veron Parny
Forwards
Leon Creech, Luke Gill, Harry Scarborough, Sefton Gonzales, Alhagi Touray Sisay, Jason Gilchrist
AFC Liverpool
Position
Primary Starter
Goalkeeper
Harry Paul Campbell
Defenders
Morgan Falloh, Thomas Parry, Jack Airlie, Nathan Giblin
Midfielders
Sean Forrest, Charles Duke, Aaron Cummins, Bobby Murphy, Louie Lancaster
Forwards
Jordan Monthe, Owen Fisher-Jones
Team Analysis
As per stats and performance, Clitheroe looks stronger on paper. Their consistency in the Northern Premier League System was incredible. AFC Liverpool is a disciplined and hardworking team. They mostly struggle against clubs that play at higher levels. As an experienced team, Clitheroe has home advantage and attacks deep. This is enough to control the rhythm of the match. Maybe AFC Liverpool will try to stay competitive and put pressure on the opponent. But it may find it difficult to contain the pressure throughout the match.
The Pick: Clitheroe
Stafford Rangers vs Tividale
Date: 8 August 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 10:00 AM ET | 07:00 AM PT | 07:30 PM IST
Venue: The Stan Robinson Stadium, Marston Road, Stafford.
Expected FA Cup Lineups
Stafford Rangers
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Scott Moloney, Leon Phillips, Russell Saunders
Defenders
James O’Neill, Harry Flowers, Callum Wilson, Andy Burns, Luke Edwards, James McNeill
Midfielders
Remi Efunnuga, Tom Tonks, Jack Birch, Leon Hughes, Marsel Tola
Forwards
John Atherton, Max Chimenese, Devarn Green
Tividale
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Kieran Harrison
Defenders
Brad Maslen-Jones (C), Tom Rann, Matt Holland, Samuel Bratt-Wyton, Callum Lloyd, Joseph Harrington
Midfielders
Edward Rann, Papy Brandon Mossini, Shakeel Brown, Joseph Garrington, Ezekiel Agyemang, Alfie Higgs, Malcolm Melvin, Liam Truslove
Forwards
Kyle Batchelor, Lewis McPike, Tyree Clarke, Nashawn Blake, Jack Ball
Team Analysis
Stafford Rangers have far more experience in the FA Cup. Their prior experience playing at a higher standard compared to Tividale. Home advantage adds to their edge, with the experienced players in their team. This expected to control the game and create better chances for themselves. The Tividale team can frustrate the opposition but will need to perform exceptionally well defensively to cause an upset. Stafford Rangers are the deserved favorites entering this fixture.
The Pick: Stafford Rangers
Birtley Town vs Bishop Auckland
Date: 8 August 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 10:00 AM ET | 07:00 AM PT | 07:30 PM IST
Venue: Arrowmark Home Improvements Stadium, Birtley Town Ground.
Expected FA Cup Lineups
Birtley Town
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Alfie Gordon
Defenders
Dale Burrell (C), Owen Lancaster, Reece Harrison, Lewis Exley
Midfielders
Joe Hailes, Liam Wotherspoon, Kyle Wharton
Forwards
James Proctor, Nick Marley, Scott Heslop
Bishop Auckland
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Shane Bland
Defenders
Arjun Purewal, Lee Hume, Gary Brown, Alex Nelson
Midfielders
John Howard, Arron Thompson, Josh Robertson
Forwards
Gary Martin (C), Amar Purewal, Vinnie Steels
Team Analysis
The home crowd and solid defending will help Birtley Town to compete with an impressive Bishop Auckland team. The Bishop Auckland team is off to a good start in the new season. It has more experience playing under pressure in cup competitions. The Bishop Auckland well-rounded team and attacking play make them favorites, even when playing away. Birtley can definitely make the match competitive, but Bishop Auckland will have the edge. It will be a close-call encounter with a marginal difference in results.
The Pick: Bishop Auckland
Conclusion
At the end of the matchday, Fans and analysts will realize the memorable moments created by clubs. The FA Cup matchday will surely deliver unpredictable results and many emerging contenders on the field. The fixture provides clubs with a chance to extend their cup journey and create history. These confirmed fixtures feature competitive clashes with experienced teams holding slight advantages. There will be many surprise results; updates after the matchday were the competition’s greatest traditions.