FA Cup 2026-27: Third Qualifying Round Analysis & Pick
FA Cup: Third Qualifying Round
FA Cup 2026-27 Third Qualifying Round will witness 40 games being played in England on October 3. There are a number of intriguing matchups that involve clubs belonging to different leagues. Here, we analyze eight of those fixtures and talk about their teams, their recent form, location, and other important factors. The analysis also delivers the pick for each selected match.
FA Cup Third Qualifying Round: Event Details
Event
Details
Main Event
FA Cup 2026-27
Schedule
Third Qualifying Round
Total Matches
40
Date
3 October 2026
Venue
Multiple Grassroots Location across England
FA Cup: Third Qualifying Round Full Schedule
No.
Date & Day
Fixture
Kick-off
1
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Macclesfield vs Scarborough Athletic
3:00 PM BST
2
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Marine vs Warrington Town
3:00 PM BST
3
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Trafford vs Atherton Collieries
3:00 PM BST
4
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Guiseley AFC vs Bradford (Park Avenue)
3:00 PM BST
5
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Gainsborough Trinity vs Anstey Nomads
3:00 PM BST
6
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Morecambe vs Darlington
3:00 PM BST
7
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Buxton vs South Shields
3:00 PM BST
8
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Bury vs Bromsgrove Sporting
3:00 PM BST
9
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Barton Town vs Chorley
3:00 PM BST
10
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Worksop Town vs FC United of Manchester
3:00 PM BST
11
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Stafford Rangers vs Halesowen Town
3:00 PM BST
12
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Spennymoor Town vs Chester
3:00 PM BST
13
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Mulbarton Wanderers vs Gloucester City
3:00 PM BST
14
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Bury Town vs Spalding United
3:00 PM BST
15
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Harborough Town vs St Albans City
3:00 PM BST
16
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Bedford Town vs Wingate & Finchley
3:00 PM BST
17
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Kettering Town vs Worcester City
3:00 PM BST
18
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Cambridge City vs Alvechurch
3:00 PM BST
19
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Brackley Town vs Chelmsford City
3:00 PM BST
20
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Chesham United vs Real Bedford
3:00 PM BST
21
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Oxford City vs Enfield Town
3:00 PM BST
22
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Brentwood Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge
12:30 PM BST
23
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Leiston vs Coventry United
3:00 PM BST
24
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Redditch United vs Berkhamsted
3:00 PM BST
25
Saturday, 3 October 2026
AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs Braintree Town
3:00 PM BST
26
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Dorking Wanderers vs Chatham Town
3:00 PM BST
27
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Truro City vs Cirencester Town
3:00 PM BST
28
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Tonbridge Angels vs Torquay United
3:00 PM BST
29
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Weymouth vs SE Dons
3:00 PM BST
30
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Sheppey United vs Chertsey Town
3:00 PM BST
31
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Cray Wanderers vs Chippenham Town
3:00 PM BST
32
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Crowborough Athletic vs Wimborne Town
3:00 PM BST
33
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Plymouth Parkway vs Horsham
3:00 PM BST
34
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Uxbridge vs Hungerford Town
3:00 PM BST
35
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Ebbsfleet United vs Sholing
3:00 PM BST
36
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Salisbury vs Dulwich Hamlet
3:00 PM BST
37
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Thame United vs Eastbourne Borough
3:00 PM BST
38
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Hanwell Town vs Dover Athletic
3:00 PM BST
39
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Tadley Calleva vs Dartford
3:00 PM BST
40
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Leatherhead vs Hanworth Villa
3:00 PM BST
FA Cup: Third Qualifying Round Key Match Schedule
Date & Day
Fixture
ET
PT
IST
Venue
Why Selected
3 October 2026, Saturday
Brentwood Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge
7:30 AM
4:30 AM
5:00 PM
The Arena, Brentwood
Dagenham were 2nd in National League South. The match also has confirmed BBC Sport coverage.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Macclesfield vs Scarborough Athletic
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
Moss Rose Ground
Macclesfield were 2nd in National League North. Scarborough were also a National League North side.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Oxford City vs Enfield Town
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
Court Place Farm
Oxford City were 3rd in National League North.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Buxton vs South Shields
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
The Tarmac Silverlands Stadium
South Shields were 4th, while Buxton were 9th in National League North. Both are Step 2 clubs.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Spennymoor Town vs Chester
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
The Brewery Field
Chester were 7th in National League North. The fixture is confirmed at Spennymoor’s home ground.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Bedford Town vs Wingate & Finchley
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
The Eyrie
Bedford Town were 10th in National League North. The club confirms the FA Cup tie at The Eyrie.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Morecambe vs Darlington
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
Halo Aerospace Stadium
Morecambe were 11th in National League North. Darlington were also in the division.
3 October 2026, Saturday
Barton Town vs Chorley
10:00 AM
7:00 AM
7:30 PM
The Easy Buy Stadium
Chorley were 12th in National League North. Barton Town provide the lower-division opponent in this tie.
FA Cup 2026-27: Third Qualifying Round
Key Match Analysis
Match 1: Brentwood Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge
Event
Details
Fixture
Brentwood Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge
Date
3 October 2026 (Saturday)
Time
07:30 AM ET | 04:30 AM PT | 05:00 PM IST
Venue
The Arena, Brentwood
Broadcast
BBC Sport, ESPN+, Sony LIV
FA Cup Expected Lineups
Brentwood Town
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Aiden Prall
Defenders
Wyan Reid, Max Hudson, Aron Pollock, Matt Cripps, Andy Freeman, Tommy Davis, Harry Gibbs
Midfielders
Luke Read, Ben Steward, Ansu Janneh, Emmanuel Harvest, Cameron Forde-Brown
Samuel Adenola, Liam Vincent, Sam Graham, Jet Dyer, Henry Hawkins, Jack Bateson, Josh Addae
Midfielders
George Marsh, Harry Beautyman, Kane Crichlow, Antony Papadopoulos, Archie Tamplin, Charles Clayden, Kayden Harrack, Timothee Dieng
Forwards
Davide Rodari, Andy Carroll, Noah Coppin, Kymani Thomas, Stan Leech
Head Coach / Manager
Lee Allinson
Recent Form and Comparison
Brentwood Town has drawn and then won a 4-2 replay victory against Concord Rangers. Then they won against Aveley with a 3-2 win in the FA Cup 2nd qualifying round. Dagenham & Redbridge is settled in the higher tier at the North League South. The higher-tier Daggers drew 1-1 and won 3-0 in the replay against Waltham Abbey in the FA Cup.
Match Analysis
This fixture brought historic television cameras to The Arena for the first time. Lower-tier Brentwood Town has strong motivation to create an upset against the Daggers. Here, Dagenham & Redbridge hold a clear division advantage. The away team (Dagenham) has shown a clear win in their recent match, 3-0. They rely on superior squad depth to control the midfield speed. Expect the Daggers to move forward if they manage the energetic early pressure from the home team.
The Pick: Dagenham & Redbridge
Match 2: Macclesfield vs Scarborough Athletic
Event
Details
Fixture
Macclesfield vs Scarborough Athletic
Date
3 October 2026 (Saturday)
Time
10:00 AM ET | 07:00 AM PT | 07:30 PM IST
Venue
Moss Rose Ground
Broadcast
BBC Sport, ESPN+, Sony LIV
FA Cup Expected Lineups
Macclesfield
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Christian Dibble, Paul Cooper
Defenders
Luke Matheson, Lincoln McFayden, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Sam Heathcote, Luis Lacey, Tom Wilson, Hassan Ayub, Ammar Dyer, Ed Ikpakwu, Brandon Lee
Midfielders
Elliot Osborne, Paul Dawson, George Wilson, Fin Shrimpton, Carlos Dos Santos, Josh Kay, Matthew Apter
Forwards
Theo Chapman, Adan George, Danny Elliott, Luke Duffy, Jon Ustabasi, Veron Parny
Head Coach / Manager
John Rooney
Scarborough Athletic
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Ryan Whitley
Defenders
Jake Hull, Jack Waldron, Luca Stuttard, Ross Aaron Pllu, Kieran Weledji, Michael Duckworth, William Wells, Alex Brown
Midfielders
Luke Hall, Alfie Bradshaw, Jack Harry Smith, Lewis Maloney, Alex Purver, Alex Wiles, Dom Tear
Forwards
Mo Fadera, Rio Allan, Harry Green, Luca Colville
Head Coach / Manager
Jonathan Greening
Recent Form & Comparison
The Silkmen (Macclesfield) sit 2nd in the league table with 21 points from 10 games. They defeated Redcar Athletic 2-1 in the previous FA Cup round. The Seadog (Scarborough Athletic) holds a chaotic recent record. They advanced in the FA Cup by defeating Dunston 2-0 away from home.
Match Analysis
This fixture once again met at the Moss Rose arena. This is the second time in a month. Their recent league match on September 8 ended in a tight 0-0 draw. Macclesfield has excellent defensive form. They conceded only 6 goals in 10 league matches. Scarborough Athletic is still a tough competitor, even when playing away from home. This match will be decided by a fine tactical margin in the score. A single goal could secure passage to the next round.
Josh Ashby, Scott Pollock, Dejan Tetek, Zac McEachran, Alfie Potter, Tyrae Njogu, Brayden Daniel
Forwards
Tyrone Marsh, Ellis Brown, Matty Taylor, Ewan Clark, Jamie Odegah, Dillon De Silva, Kauan
Head Coach / Manager
Ross Jenkins
Enfield Town
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Dylan Thompson, Matt Setters
Defenders
Adam Thompson, Ayo Tanimowo, Edwin Mensah, Franklin Domi, Jay Lambert, Junior Velasquez, Mickey Parcell, Sonny Hart
Midfielders
Amrit Bansal-McNulty, Billy Leonard, Declan Rydings, Finlay Corrigan, Jesse Akubuine, Jez Davies, Sam Youngs, Sean Tarima, Tariq Al-Sadi
Forwards
Eli Ackason, Kaobi Efobi, Luke Deslandes, Luke May-Parrott, Nana Kyei, Olly Davis, Shiloh Remy, Thomas Avgoustidis
Head Coach / Manager
Billy Holland
Recent Form & Comparison
Oxford City delivered an excellent performance in their recent match against Chorley with a 4-0 win. They also beat Radcliffe 3-0 and secured their spot with a 2-0 win over Dorchester Town. Enfield Town comes to the field to create consistency in their roadmap. They will plan to step up to face higher-ranked opposition.
Match Analysis
The Oxford City team comes into the FA Cup game with high-quality finishing skills on their home ground. The team has managed several clean sheets in their most recent competitive games. The Enfield Town team faces an uphill battle against an organized team. The home team will try to dominate possession of the ball early from the midfield. Oxford City has an organizational edge over their opponents on their home turf.
The Pick: Oxford City
Match 4: Buxton vs South Shields
Event
Details
Fixture
Buxton vs South Shields
Date
3 October 2026 (Saturday)
Time
10:00 AM ET | 07:00 AM PT | 07:30 PM IST
Venue
The Tarmac Silverlands Stadium
Broadcast
BBC Sport, ESPN+, Sony LIV
FA Cup Expected Lineups
Buxton
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Kian Johnson, Logan Stretch, Logan Melville, Harry Jack Evans
Defenders
Josh Shaw, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Ben Grist, Liam Brockbank, Aaron O’Reilly, Kieran Burton, Guilherme Leal Siqueira, Noah Wadsworth, Sisa Tuntulwana, Harry Balfe, Dylan Edwin Mantle, George Cooper, Luke Daley
Midfielders
Connor Kirby, Kian Scales, Will Trueman, Ashton Mee, Archie Bingham, Saul Cullen, Luke Evans
Forwards
Tony Weston, Owen Devonport, Johnny Johnston, Samuel Tomlinson, Devlan Moses, Josh Pescatore, Max Woltman
Head Coach / Manager
Jordan Broadbent
South Shields
Position
Players
Goalkeepers
Jasper Sheik, Will Anderson
Defenders
Robbie Tinkler, Jordan Marshall, Cain Sykes, Dillon Morse, Ethan Mann, Daniel Dodds, David Carson, Joe Emery
Midfielders
Khanya Leshabela, Toby Onanaye, Jack Roles, Caden Kelly
Forwards
Jordan Jones, Paul Blackett, Sean McGurk, Kyle Crossley, Cedwyn Scott, Sam Ashford, Chinonso Chibueze, Rio Clegg, Adam Campbell
Head Coach / Manager
Mike Williamson
Recent Form & Comparison
Buxton is positioned 9th in the league table. They made a marginal win over Ashington in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying round. South Shields sit 4th in the league table. They had enormous confidence after defeating Buxton 4-0 in their recent league meeting.
Match Analysis
This match is a direct replay of their recent league meeting. South Shields completely dominated that game with a convincing 4-0 victory. Buxton is looking to get a replay on their home synthetic pitch. The Shields look dangerous in attack and scoring. They scored 11 goals in their recent two games. Buxton must work on their defensive structure and line to avoid another heavy defeat. South Shields remain the favorite based on their recent form.
The Pick: South Shields
Conclusion
Third Qualifying Round matches include a number of highly contested FA Cup games, where different teams and narratives emerge. Depth of the squad, current performance, home-field advantage, and league standing define every chosen game. Dagenham, Macclesfield, Oxford City, and South Shields have emerged as the best options. The games will surely prove to be highly competitive.