FA Cup 2026-27 Preliminary Round Preview – FA Cup Factfile

After 219 clubs have already seen their Wembley dreams shattered, another 272 Non-League teams will battle it out in the Preliminary Round to try to keep their own dreams alive!

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Record Opportunities

The Preliminary Round begins on Friday night with a handful of ties and ends on Sunday with two 3.0pm kick-offs.

The round involves 13 debut clubs, six other sides that have never ventured this far in the competition before, and a dozen others for whom a victory would represent a club record FA Cup run.

There are additionally a massive 39 clubs looking to equal their own club record FA Cup run by winning this weekend, and there are eight ties where at least one club will be celebrating an FA Cup best performance.

North Ferriby versus Campion FC, Whitchurch Alport against Coventry United, and Eastwood FC versus Barton Town are all ties where the winner will equal a past best Cup run. Lower Breck versus Euxton Villa and Retford FC versus Northampton ON Chenecks will see the winners definitely making history with a record run!

Depending who wins between Downton FC and Millbrook FC (Hampshire), between Sutton United (Birmingham) and Abbey Hulton United, and between Punjab United (Gravesend) and South East Dons will determine if it’s a new club record run or an equal best run achieved!

Retford FC, Sutton United (Birmingham) and South East Dons are three of the 13 debut clubs involved in this round. Eight of the other 10 debutants still standing are Redcar Town (hosting Bridlington Town on Friday evening), Knowle FC, Hutton FC, Dunstable FC, Clapton Community, Penn and Tylers Green, AFC Greenwich Borough, and Petts Wood and Holmesdale FC.

The final two debutant clubs actually face each other to guarantee at least one first-time FA Cup participant will be in the 1^st Qualifying Round as Wessex League side Fleetlands FC host Yateley United of Combined Counties League Premier South division.

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Looking for Revenge

There are 33 ties in this Preliminary Round that have happened in FA Cup before, 23 of which are meeting for just the second time. Mossley FC (against Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC) and Ipswich Wanderers (who face March Town United) both have an immediate opportunity to avenge defeat against their respective opponents from just last season.

Conversely, Winchester City has had to wait a massive 72 years for their opportunity to exact revenge for a 1-0 defeat in the 4^th Qualifying Round of the competition by Dorchester Town. To add spice to a potential revenge win, Winchester City has yet to go beyond the 4^th Qualifying Round.

Epsom and Ewell has the greatest incentive for gaining revenge against their Preliminary Round opponents this season having been thrashed 7-1 by Crowborough Athletic when the two clubs met in the Extra Preliminary Round 19 years ago.

The most common tie of the round is Devizes Town versus Melksham Town who have been drawn together in the competition for the ninth time having first met in the 1913-14 season and last met 26 years ago. Devizes Town has a five to three win ratio in past meetings.

Two other ties are happening for the eighth time. West Auckland Town host Shildon FC looking for the victory that would equalise their FA Cup head-to-head record, having lost in their first four meetings. However, things are not so even between St Blazey and Barnstaple Town in the FA Cup.

The Devon side has won through all seven previous times the clubs have been drawn together in the FA Cup, although it’s 40 years since their last encounter. Barnstaple Town have scored 29 times and conceded just nine goals by St Blazey. Additionally, Barnstaple Town’s 9-1 victory in the 1975-76 1^st Qualifying Round represents St Blazey’s biggest ever defeat in the competition!

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First Initial

Several clubs are facing opponents in the FA Cup this season with names that begin with an initial letter that they have never faced before despite long FA Cup participation.

Portland United are playing their 103^rd FA Cup game in their 47^th campaign but Moneyfields will be their first ever ‘M’ opponents. Witham Town has played one more FA Cup game than Portland United, in six fewer campaigns, and they face their first ‘P’ club in the shape of Potters Bar Town.

Two clubs are up against ‘K’ opponents for the first time despite long FA Cup records. Tunbridge Wells will play their 111^th FA Cup game in 58 campaigns and host Kingstonian FC, whilst Easington Colliery are participating in the FA Cup for the 55^th time and they travel to Knaresborough Town in this round for their 139^th FA Cup game.

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100 Up

Both Cambridge City and Whitstable Town won through their Extra Preliminary Round ties to keep their respective centenary FA Cup campaigns alive. AFC Sudbury and Newhaven FC are their respective visitors in this round. Joining them both in the 100 club in this Preliminary round is Prescot Cables who visit lower level Litherland REMYCA.

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Barker Ties

Bottesford Town host Bourne Town and Erith Town entertain Eastbourne Town in the two Barker Ties this round named in honour of Non-League champion and broadcaster Caroline Barker, a big fan of the more quirkier type of stats that are identified.

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Completing the Set

And this one would please Caroline a lot. Isthmian League Division One North club Tilbury FC travel to Biggleswade Town this weekend, having been beaten by Biggleswade FC seven years ago and having defeated Biggleswade United eight years before then, to complete the ‘Biggleswade’ set of clubs faced in the FA Cup!