The Emirates FA Cup 2025-26 is gearing up to deliver another action-packed season of English football’s most historic and unpredictable knockout competition. The 145th season of the FA Cup, featuring 732 clubs across multiple tiers, from non-league challengers to Premier League powerhouses, the 2025-26 FA Cup promises thrilling upsets, emotional storylines, and unforgettable moments.
The tournament started on 1 August 2025, and the Final will be held in Wembley Stadium on 16 May 2026. The champion team automatically qualifies for the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League.
In the 2025–26 FA Cup, teams progress through various qualifying rounds, with the giants entering the competition at the First Round Proper.
Crystal Palace are the defending champions, beating Manchester City in the final.
Here’s your complete guide to this season’s FA Cup format, fixtures, and top players.
2025-26 FA Cup Format, Teams, Format, Schedule & Top Players
The FA Cup operates on a pyramid system designed to give lower-league and non-league clubs the opportunity to compete against football’s elite.
Round Structure
Qualifying Rounds:
Lower-tier and non-league clubs begin their journey in the Extra Preliminary Round, with matches progressing through four qualifying stages before reaching the First Round Proper:
- Extra Preliminary Round: Saturday, August 2, 2025
- Preliminary Round: Saturday, August 16, 2025
- First Round Qualifying: Saturday, August 30, 2025
- Second Round Qualifying: Saturday, September 13, 2025
- Third Round Qualifying: Saturday, September 27, 2025
- Fourth Round Qualifying: Saturday, October 11, 2025
First Round Proper to Final:
Premier League and Championship clubs enter at the First Round Proper, where the tournament’s intensity escalates dramatically:
- First Round Proper: Saturday, November 1, 2025
- 124 Clubs → 84 Clubs
- Second Round Proper: Saturday, December 6, 2025
- 84 Clubs → 64 Clubs
- Third Round Proper: Saturday, January 10, 2026
- 64 Clubs → 32 Clubs
- Fourth Round Proper: Saturday, February 14, 2026
- 32 Clubs → 16 Clubs
- Fifth Round Proper: Saturday, March 7, 2026
- 16 Clubs → 8 Clubs
- Quarter-Finals: Saturday, April 4, 2026
- 8 Clubs → 4 Clubs
- Semi-Finals: Saturday, April 25, 2026
- 4 Clubs → 2 Clubs
- The Final: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Key Format Changes
No Replays: Following recent seasons’ precedent, the 2025-26 FA Cup eliminates replays at all stages. Ties are decided on the day with extra time and penalties used to determine winners if needed. This change manages fixture congestion and keeps the season flowing.
Single-Leg Format: The traditional two-legged semi-finals have been replaced with a single-match format at a neutral venue.
Participating Teams and Entry Points
The FA Cup’s pyramid structure accommodates multiple entry points
732 Total Clubs Participating:
- Non-League & Lower-Tier Clubs: Enter at Extra Preliminary Round through Fourth Round Qualifying
- League Two Clubs: Generally enter at First or Second Round Qualifying (except top finishers)
- League One Clubs: Enter at First Round Proper
- Championship Clubs: Enter at First Round Proper
- Premier League Clubs: Enter at First Round Proper
Preliminary Round (2025):
A special preliminary round featuring promoted National League clubs Barnet and Oldham Athletic, plus League Two’s bottom two finishers Accrington Stanley and Newport County, will compete in regionalized pairings
- Accrington Stanley vs Oldham Athletic
- Barnet vs Newport County
First Round Proper Draw
The first round proper draw was held on October 13, 2025, determining matchups for the weekend of November 1, 2025. The draw creates some tantalizing fixtures featuring Premier League and Championship sides against lower-league opponents.
Notable First Round fixtures have historically produced shock results, with non-league teams regularly pulling off memorable upsets against established clubs.
2025-26 FA Cup First Round Schedule
October 31, 2025
- Luton Town (3) vs Forest Green Rovers (5) – Luton
November 1, 2025
- Chelmsford City (6) vs Braintree Town (5) – Chelmsford
- AFC Wimbledon (3) vs Gateshead (5) – Wimbledon
- Barnsley (3) vs York City (5) – Barnsley
- Blackpool (3) vs Scunthorpe United (5) – Blackpool
- Bolton Wanderers (3) vs Huddersfield Town (3) – Bolton
- Boreham Wood (5) vs Crawley Town (4) – Borehamwood
- Bromley (4) vs Bristol Rovers (4) – Bromley
- Burton Albion (3) vs St Albans City (7) – Burton upon Trent
- Buxton (6) vs Chatham Town (7) – Buxton
- Cambridge United (4) vs Chester (6) – Cambridge
- Cheltenham Town (4) vs Bradford City (3) – Cheltenham
- Colchester United (4) vs Milton Keynes Dons (4) – Colchester
- Crewe Alexandra (4) vs Doncaster Rovers (3) – Crewe
- FC Halifax Town (5) vs Exeter City (3) – Halifax
- Fleetwood Town (4) vs Barnet (4) – Fleetwood
- Grimsby Town (4) vs Ebbsfleet United (6) – Cleethorpes
- Macclesfield (6) vs AFC Totton (6) – Macclesfield
- Mansfield Town (3) vs Harrogate Town (4) – Mansfield
- Newport County (4) vs Gillingham (4) – Newport
- Oldham Athletic (4) vs Northampton Town (3) – Oldham
- Peterborough United (3) vs Cardiff City (3) – Peterborough
- Reading (3) vs Carlisle United (5) – Reading
- Rotherham United (3) vs Swindon Town (4) – Rotherham
- Salford City (4) vs Lincoln City (3) – Salford
- Slough Town (6) vs Altrincham (5) – Slough
- Spennymoor Town (6) vs Barrow (4) – Spennymoor
- Stevenage (3) vs Chesterfield (4) – Stevenage
- Sutton United (5) vs AFC Telford United (6) – Sutton
- Tranmere Rovers (4) vs Stockport County (3) – Birkenhead
- Wealdstone (5) vs Southend United (5) – Ruislip
- Weston-super-Mare (6) vs Aldershot Town (5) – Weston-super-Mare
- Wigan Athletic (3) vs Hemel Hempstead Town (6) – Wigan
- Wycombe Wanderers (3) vs Plymouth Argyle (3) – High Wycombe
November 2, 2025
- South Shields (6) vs Shrewsbury Town (4) – Jarrow
- Eastleigh (5) vs Walsall (4) – Eastleigh
- Port Vale (3) vs Maldon & Tiptree (8) – Stoke-on-Trent
- Gainsborough Trinity (7) vs Accrington Stanley (4) – Gainsborough
November 3, 2025
- Tamworth (5) vs Leyton Orient (3) – Tamworth
Key Player Scorers Profile
The top goal scorers across English football provide insight into who might lead their teams’ FA Cup charges:
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – The leading scorer of Liverpool is on pace for another world-class season. His consistency and big-game mentality make him a threat in the FA Cup knockout stages.
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – The Norwegian striker holds the top-scoring record, and Manchester City will count on his exceptional finishing skills throughout their FA Cup campaign.
- Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) – The Swedish forward is an elite scorer. Newcastle’s FA Cup hopes will largely rely on Isak’s ability to shine in knockout football.
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – The young Chelsea star showcases his emerging class. Palmer embodies a new wave of attacking talent that could help secure the FA Cup.
Traditional FA Cup Favorites
While the FA Cup is renowned for its unpredictability and shock results, established Premier League powerhouses typically dominate:
Expected Contenders:
- Manchester City – Defending their strong domestic form with world-class attackers
- Liverpool – Top-flight leaders with Mohamed Salah in peak form
- Arsenal – Consistent Premier League contenders with attacking firepower
- Manchester United – Historic FA Cup winners seeking to reclaim glory
- Chelsea – Young squad with strong attacking resources
- Newcastle United – Strengthening their domestic trophy credentials
Historic FA Cup Context
The FA Cup holds unique significance in English football as the world’s oldest national football competition, founded in 1871. Recent winners demonstrate their prestige:
- 2024-25: Crystal Palace Won
- 2023-24: Manchester City dominated
- 2022-23: Manchester United won
Prize Money Structure
While specific prize money amounts for 2025-26 have not yet been fully released, the FA Cup traditionally distributes significant funds:
Expected Distribution:
- First Round Proper Winner: £31,500 (approximately)
- Progression Bonuses: Increase substantially with each round
- Semi-Final Participants: £400,000+
- Final Runner-Up: £3.6 million
- Final Winner: £4.8 million
These figures incentivize lower-league clubs to make deep runs and provide significant financial boosts to Premier League teams.
Key Storylines for 2025-26 FA Cup
The 2025-26 FA Cup kicks off its first round proper this weekend, running from Friday, October 31, to Monday, November 3, as local clubs aim to advance their journey in this season’s competition.
Non-League Dream Runs
Lower-league clubs entering at qualifying rounds dream of becoming the next Salford City or Grimsby Town to produce FA Cup shocks. The tournament’s format allows genuine underdogs to reach the First Round Proper.
Premier League Title Race Distraction
For clubs competing for the Premier League title simultaneously, FA Cup progression becomes a fixture-congestion challenge. Balancing these competitions will test squad depth and management.
Young Talent Showcase
Academy players and younger squad members often feature in FA Cup ties, particularly in early rounds. The competition serves as a development platform for future stars.
Managerial Pressure
Cup performances can influence managerial security. Early exits can increase pressure, while deep runs bolster confidence entering critical league phases.
Viewing and Attendance
FA Cup matches across all rounds generate significant fan interest:
- Broadcasting: Matches are distributed across BBC, ITV, and other platforms, ensuring wide coverage.
- Attendance: From small non-league grounds to sold-out Premier League stadiums, the FA Cup creates memorable atmospheres across all levels.