The FA Cup first-round has taken place as League One and League Two sides enter the fray in the world’s oldest cup competition.
The 48 teams from the third and fourth tier of English football join the 32 non-league sides who have successfully negotiated the fourth qualifying round, with eighth-tier Maldon & Tiptree – current leaders of the Isthmian League North Division – the lowest-ranked team left in the competition after they beat Flackwell Heath 1-0 over the weekend thanks to a goal from ex-West Ham striker Freddie Sears.
They’ll face an almighty trip to League One outfit Port Vale in the headline-grabbing tie of the draw, while EFL heavyweights Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City and Cardiff City also learned their opponents.
Luton Town – who confirmed Jack Wilshere as their new manager today following the departure of Matt Bloomfield – will meanwhile play host to either Forest Green Rovers or Worthing as the former Arsenal midfielder looks to sprinkle some of the cup magic he experienced during his playing career on the Hatters.
Relive the first-round draw with our live blog below:
FA Cup first round draw - live updates FA Cup first-round draw in fullWeston Super Mare vs Aldershot Town
Salford City vs Lincoln City
Luton Town vs Worthing/Forest Green Rovers
Gainsborough Trinity/Hartlepool United vs Accrington Stanley
Colchester United vs MK Dons
Tranmere Rovers vs Stockport County
Wigan Athletic vs Hemel Hempstead Town
Newport County vs Gillingham
Cheltenham Town vs Bradford City
Barnsley vs York City
Reading vs Carlisle United
Bromley vs Bristol Rovers
Peterborough United vs Cardiff City
Oldham Athletic vs Northampton Town
Crewe Alexandra vs Doncaster Rovers
Tamworth vs Leyton Orient
Stevenage vs Chesterfield
Boreham Wood vs Crawley Town
Farnham Town/Sutton United vs AFC Telford United
Bolton Wanderers vs Huddersfield Town
Chelmsford City vs Braintree Town
Spennymoor Town vs Barrow
Wycombe Wanderers vs Plymouth Argyle
FC Halifax Town vs Exeter City
Slough Town vs Altrincham/Harborough Town
Wealdstone vs Southend United
Rotherham United vs Swindon Town
Grimsby Town vs Ebbsfleet United
Buxton vs Chatham Town
Burton Albion vs Banbury United/St Albans City
Woking/Brackley Town vs Notts County
Blackpool vs Scunthorpe United
Cambridge United vs Morecambe/Chester
AFC Wimbledon vs Gateshead
Mansfield Town vs Harrogate Town
Macclesfield vs AFC Totton/Truro City
South Shields vs Shrewsbury Town
Fleetwood Town vs Barnet
Port Vale vs Maldon & Tiptree
Eastleigh vs Walsall
Will Castle13 October 2025 19:00
Stunning FA Cup strikesSomething to whet the appetite ahead of the first round!
Luke Baker13 October 2025 21:00
Jack Wilshere on becoming a manager, Mikel Arteta’s influence and the key to making it at ArsenalSome more reading on new Luton boss Jack Wilshere for you, who will take on his first FA Cup assignment next month. He sat down with our Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney back in March to discuss Mikel Arteta’s influence on his career and his coaching journey.
Just two years ago, Wilshere wasn’t even sure he wanted to go into coaching but seeing Arteta work means the former Arsenal and England man is now adamant.
Luke Baker13 October 2025 20:40
Maldon & Tiptree, the remaining FA Cup minnowsThere is only one eighth-tier side left in this season’s FA Cup and that’s Essex-based outfit Maldon & Tiptree.
The superbly-nicknamed Jammers are the current leaders of the Isthmian League North Division and they beat Flackwell Heath 1-0 over the weekend to reach this stage.
The scorer of that goal was ex-West Ham striker Freddie Sears, who is now 35, as he turned in Courtney Senior’s cross at the near post with his head just after the half-hour mark.
They're the only team in the first round proper to have played in every round since the extra-preliminary round and have won six games to reach this stage.
“[This win is] massive,” said Maldon & Tiptree boss Kevin Horlock. “It was something we set out to do. The owners came in and have spent a lot of time and money on this football club and rightly want to be talked about. So, the target was to get to the first round. We've achieved that. And now we want to go further.
“We’d look for a winnable game at home. Or one of the big boys, the highest-ranked team we can get away, where the club gets a nice payday.”
Luke Baker13 October 2025 20:20
Latest FA Cup winner odds ahead of first-round drawLiverpool 9/2
Man City 5/1
Arsenal 6/1
Newcastle 9/1
Man United, Aston Villa, Tottenham 14/1
Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Bournemouth 25/1
Everton, Crystal Palace, West Ham 33/1
Fulham 40/1
Leeds, Brentford, Wolves 66/1
Burnley, Sunderland 100/1
Odds via BetVictor. The Independent vets betting sites for useability, security and responsible gambling tools. You can claim free bets here to use across a range of sports. Please read the terms.
Will Castle13 October 2025 20:00
FA Cup schedule in fullFirst Round Proper: Saturday 1 November 2025
Second Round Proper: Saturday 6 December 2025
Third Round Proper: Saturday 10 January 2026
Fourth Round Proper: Saturday 14 February 2026
Fifth Round Proper: Saturday 7 March 2026
Quarter Final: Saturday 4 April 2026
Semi-Final: Saturday 25 April 2026
The Final: Saturday 16 May 2026
Will Castle13 October 2025 19:45
When will the FA Cup first-round ties take place?First round ties in the FA Cup will take place on Saturday 1 November.
Will Castle13 October 2025 19:30
Who have the EFL heavyweights drawn?The FA Cup first-round draw is particularly notable as it sees some of League One and League Two’s biggest hitters - many with Premier League experience - enter the competition alongside those lower down the pyramid.
Cardiff City are up there with the biggest names and in slightly underwhelming news for the smaller outfits, they will face Peterborough United in an all-League One clash.
Luton, now under the management of Jack Wilshere, will play host to either Worthing or Forest Green Rovers - both of whom play in the National League.
Wigan Athletic will play Hemel Hempstead Town, while Grimsby - who shocked Man United in the Carabao Cup - will hope not to have the same done to them as they clash with National League South side Ebbsfleet United.
Blackpool face the test of Scunthorpe United, who are finding their feet again after back-to-back relegations. Meanwhile, Notts County will face either Woking or Brackley Town, and Bradford City will travel to Cheltenham.
Will Castle13 October 2025 19:20
Highlights from the drawMaldon & Tiptree were always going to be the focus of this draw - they’re the lowest-ranked team still in the competition, playing their football in the English EIGHTH tier. They will go to League One side Port Vale in a mammoth FA Cup test.
Elswehere, Macclesfield will play host to AFC Totton or Truro City - notable for the fact the club’s part-owner Robbie Savage was in the studio as it was drawn out. Sounded like he would prefer to avoid the test of the Cornish side, who play their football in the National League.
Aside from the actual matches, Michail Antonio got a reaction from the youngens in attendance at Worthing FC -where the draw was held - for doing the ‘67’ meme when pulling out Slough Town, aka ball 67. I still don’t get it.
Will Castle13 October 2025 19:07
FA Cup first-round drawAnd that’s the FA Cup first-round draw for you!
We’ll bring you a full list of fixtures imminently.
Will Castle13 October 2025 18:57
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