FA Cup first-round draw set for tonight

The FA Cup’s magic is back in focus tonight as the first-round draw sets the stage for another chaotic, dream-filled chapter. League One and League Two clubs enter the competition alongside 32 non-league sides, all hoping for a favourable tie and a shot at one of English football’s great upsets.

Draw time, channel and where to watch

The draw for the first round of the 2026/27 FA Cup takes place on Monday, October 19, with the live coverage beginning at 6:30pm BST. The draw itself is expected to get underway around five minutes later, at approximately 6:35pm.

Fans can follow the draw live on TNT Sports 1, which is also available to stream on HBO Max. The event will be hosted by Matt Smith, while viewers without TNT Sports can also watch live on the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

A night that can shape a season

For many clubs, the first-round draw is more than just a fixture announcement. It can influence ticket sales, travel plans, local excitement and, in some cases, the possibility of a televised payday that helps a season off the pitch as much as on it.

For the lower-ranked sides, the dream is clear: land a bigger club, create a story, and try to turn a one-off cup tie into a national headline. For the professional sides from the EFL, the task is just as clear: avoid an awkward trip and survive the early chaos.

“The FA Cup is built on possibility,” is how many managers would frame nights like this, and it is exactly that sense of possibility that makes the draw such a popular event every year.

Who is in the first-round draw?

A total of 80 teams are in the hat, with the mix of Football League and non-league clubs giving the competition its trademark edge. The inclusion of 32 non-league sides ensures the draw is not just about league names, but about ambition, momentum and the chance to face a bigger opponent on home soil.

Among the clubs in the draw are Accrington Stanley, AFC Wimbledon, Barnet, Barnsley, Blackpool, Bradford City, Bristol Rovers, Bromley, Burton Albion, Cambridge United, Cheltenham Town, Chesterfield, Colchester United and Crawley Town.

Also involved are Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Exeter City, Fleetwood Town, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Huddersfield Town, Leicester City, Leyton Orient, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Newport County, Northampton Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Oxford United and Peterborough United.

The remainder of the Football League contingent includes Plymouth Argyle, Port Vale, Reading, Rochdale, Rotherham United, Salford City, Sheffield Wednesday, Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage, Stockport County, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall, Wigan Athletic, Wycombe Wanderers and York City.

Non-league sides chasing the dream

The non-league representation gives the draw its real spark. Harborough Town, Chorley or Worcester City, Gateshead or Stafford Rangers, FC Halifax Town, Guiseley, Barrow or Gloucester City, Marine and Scunthorpe United are among those waiting to see who they face.

Other names in the hat include Macclesfield or Anstey Nomads, Altrincham or FC United of Manchester, Bury or Harrogate Town, Spalding United or Alvechurch, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Kidderminster Harriers, Carlisle United, AFC Fylde, Salisbury, Sutton United, Chesham United or Forest Green Rovers, Leatherhead or Yeovil Town, Bedford Town or Cray Wanderers and Hornchurch.

Rounding out the list are Aldershot Town or Tadley Calleva, Oxford City, Wimborne Town, Wealdstone, Boreham Wood, Eastleigh, Berkhamsted FC, Sholing, Plymouth Parkway and Dover Athletic.

Why the first round still matters so much

The first round is where the FA Cup’s romance often begins to feel real. It is the point where smaller clubs can genuinely dream of a famous name, while bigger teams know a difficult away tie can quickly turn into a test of character.

As ever, the draw does not just produce fixtures. It produces storylines, expectations and the first wave of FA Cup drama for the season ahead. One ball can transform a club’s week, and sometimes its entire winter.

With 80 clubs waiting and plenty of potential cup drama ahead, tonight’s draw is the first real step toward another classic FA Cup run. Whether it delivers a giant-killing clash, a local derby or a daunting away day, the anticipation is already doing what the competition does best: pulling everyone in.