FA Cup First Round: How to Watch and Listen on the BBC This Weekend
The famous FA Cup kicks off its first round proper this weekend, with 40 matches and two live BBC games featuring giant-killing hopefuls.
The FA Cup first round proper begins this Friday, bringing 40 matches across a long weekend of football. After six rounds of earlier qualifying games, teams from the lower divisions finally get their shot at the famous old cup. The BBC will show two games live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, so fans can watch for free at home. Games will also be available on radio, online highlights, and through BBC Sounds.
The 40 matches are spread across four days. Two games kick off on Friday, followed by 33 on Saturday, four on Sunday, and one on Monday. Premier League and Championship clubs do not join the FA Cup until the third round, set to start on 9 January 2027. That means this weekend belongs to the lower-league and non-league teams, many of whom dream of pulling off a big upset.
The first live BBC game on Saturday features Altrincham, a non-league club, taking on League One side Notts County. Altrincham are known as giant-killers, meaning they have beaten much bigger clubs before. They have won 17 matches against league teams — more than any other club that has never played in the top four divisions. Notts County are the world's oldest professional league club and won the FA Cup back in 1894.
The second BBC live game takes place on Sunday, when Cray Wanderers face League One high-flyers Stockport County. Cray Wanderers play in the seventh tier of English football, in a league called the Isthmian League. They are believed to be London's oldest football club, existing even before the FA Cup was created. This is the very first time Cray Wanderers have reached the first round, making it a historic moment for the club.
On Sunday from 17:10, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will show a live highlights programme hosted by Jason Mohammad. The show will cover all the weekend's action, including Leicester's trip to sixth-tier Oxford City. Leicester won the FA Cup in 2021, so their match against a much smaller club is one to watch. Digital highlights will also be on the BBC Sport website, app, and social media all weekend.
For fans who prefer radio, BBC local radio stations will carry commentary on selected matches through BBC Sounds. Five games have been chosen for BBC 5 Sports Extra, Sports Extra 2, and Sports Extra 3. In total, eight ties will be shown live on television, with six more on TNT Sports. There are plenty of ways to follow all the action, no matter where you are.
The non-league side have claimed 17 wins against league opposition, more than any other club that have never been part of the top four divisions.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. How many matches will be played during the FA Cup first round weekend in total?
2. Which team is described as the world's oldest professional league club?
3. On which channel will the two live BBC FA Cup first round games be shown?