The English FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in football history and it returns for the 146th season in 2026/27. A total of 743 teams entered the tournament, with the qualifying rounds running from August 7 until October 17, and Premier League clubs enter at the Third Round Proper.

As well as the prestige associated with the much-vaunted historic trophy and a day out at Wembley, there is a lucrative prize pot on offer, plus the added incentive of a place in continental competition up for grabs. The 'magic of the cup' is never far away when the FA Cup is on and there is always a strong chance of a 'giant-killing'.

Here, GIVEMESPORT brings you everything you need to know about this year's competition, including draw details, fixture dates, final results, prize money and where to watch everything on TV or online.

First Round Draw, Fixtures & Results

The First Round Proper of the 2026/27 FA Cup takes place over the weekend of November 6 to November 9, 2026. A total of 80 teams compete at this level of the competition, meaning 40 tantalising ties will be played as clubs look to book their place in the Second Round.

Former Premier League champions Leicester City are in action at this stage, taking on Oxford City in front of live television cameras on November 6. Huddersfield Town, who competed in the Premier League as recently as the 2018/19 season, play Exeter City, while Wigan Athletic, who won this competition in 2012/13 and reached the semi-finals in 2013/14, play Boreham Wood.

Three-time FA Cup winners Sheffield Wednesday will also be live on TV at this juncture as they travel to Oldham Athletic. You can see the full schedule, plus TV picks in the table below.

Second Round Draw, Fixtures & Results

The draw for the second round has not yet been confirmed. There will be a total of 20 fixtures and they are scheduled to be played on December 4-December 7, 2026.

Where to Watch FA Cup Games

United Kingdom

FA Cup games are broadcast live on the TNT Sports network in the UK, with games also available to stream live via HBO Max. A selection of FA Cup matches are also available to watch on free-to-air channels across BBC.

Highlights of games are usually uploaded after games to the official TNT Sports YouTube channel, as well as the official FA Cup YouTube channel.

United States

In the United States (USA), a selection of FA Cup games are available to stream live exclusively on ESPN+. The network's deal with the FA Cup runs through to the end of the 2027/28 season.

FA Cup 2026/27 Round Dates & Final Date

The final of the FA Cup is scheduled for May 22, 2027, one of the key dates in the 2026/27 football season.

You can see all the key dates for the 2026/27 FA Cup rounds, including the final, below.

FA Cup Prize Money 2026/27

As well as a place in the 2027/28 Europa League, there is plenty of prize money on offer to clubs who are successful in the FA Cup.

If a team that enters the First Round goes on to win the tournament, they will scoop a total of £4.3 million in prize money. The prize money gradually increases with each round and reaching the final four is particularly rewarding. For example, a Premier League team entering at the Third Round who loses at the Semi-Final stage will still pocket a total of £1.5 million, with losing semi-finalists receiving £530,000 to soften the blow of missing out on the final.

You can see a round-by-round breakdown of the prize money below.