FA Cup draw: When is first-round draw, ball numbers and how to watch

The 2026-27 FA Cup has reached the first-round stage, with some EFL teams now entering the competition and they will find out their fate when the draw takes place this evening. Thirty-two non-league sides, who have battled through the qualifying rounds, have their names in the hat alongside 48 teams from League One and League Two, including plenty of big names and former FA Cup winners. The likes of Leicester City (2021 winners), Wigan Athletic (2013 winners), Sheffield Wednesday (1896, 1907 and 1935 winners) and Huddersfield Town (1922 winners) are some of the plum ties available, while four teams will be playing in the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in their history. Eighth-tier AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who were founded in 2011 after the demise of Rushden & Diamonds, are one of that quartet after stunning National League North side Morecambe 2-1 in the fourth qualifying round, with seventh-tier trio Berkhamsted – who beat Southend 2-1 at Roots Hall to secure their spot – Sholing and Plymouth Parkway also there for the first time. Meanwhile, ninth-tier Tadley Calleva are the lowest-ranked team in the hat after brilliantly securing a replay with National League side Aldershot following a 2-2 draw. Here’s everything you need to know about the first-round draw. When is the FA Cup first-round draw? The draw for the first round of the 2026-27 FA Cup takes place this evening, Monday October 19, at around 6.35pm. The television coverage starts at 6:30pm BST, with the draw itself expected to begin at approximately 6:35pm. Proceedings will be hosted by Matt Smith, with the draw conducted by Martin Keown and Fara Williams. Where to watch FA Cup first-round draw The draw will be available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max, and on the TNT Sports YouTube channel. Coverage begins at 6.30pm, with the draw itself expected to start around five minutes later. It will be hosted by Matt Smith, with Martin Keown and Fara Williams in charge of drawing the balls. Martin Keown will be conducting the draw on TNT Sports (Mike Egerton/PA Wire) FA Cup first-round draw ball numbers 1. Accrington Stanley 2. AFC Wimbledon 3. Barnet 4. Barnsley 5. Blackpool 6. Bradford City 7. Bristol Rovers 8. Bromley 9. Burton Albion 10. Cambridge United 11. Cheltenham Town 12. Chesterfield 13. Colchester United 14. Crawley Town 15. Crewe Alexandra 16. Doncaster Rovers 17. Exeter City 18. Fleetwood Town 19. Gillingham 20. Grimsby Town 21. Huddersfield Town 22. Leicester City 23. Leyton Orient 24. Luton Town 25. Mansfield Town 26. Milton Keynes Dons 27. Newport County 28. Northampton Town 29. Notts County 30. Oldham Athletic 31. Oxford United 32. Peterborough United 33. Plymouth Argyle 34. Port Vale 35. Reading 36. Rochdale 37. Rotherham United 38. Salford City 39. Sheffield Wednesday 40. Shrewsbury Town 41. Stevenage 42. Stockport County 43. Swindon Town 44. Tranmere Rovers 45. Walsall 46. Wigan Athletic 47. Wycombe Wanderers 48. York City 49. Harborough Town 50. Chorley or Worcester City 51. Gateshead or Stafford Rangers 52. FC Halifax Town 53. Guiseley 54. Barrow or Gloucester City 55. Marine 56. Scunthorpe United 57. Macclesfield or Anstey Nomads 58. Altrincham or FC United Of Manchester 59. Bury or Harrogate Town 60. Spalding United or Alvechurch 61. AFC Rushden & Diamonds 62. Kidderminster Harriers 63. Carlisle United 64. AFC Fylde 65. Salisbury 66. Sutton United 67. Chesham United or Forest Green Rovers 68. Leatherhead or Yeovil Town 69. Bedford Town or Cray Wanderers 70. Hornchurch 71. Aldershot Town or Tadley Calleva 72. Oxford City 73. Wimborne Town 74. Wealdstone 75. Boreham Wood 76. Eastleigh 77. Berkhamsted FC 78. Sholing 79. Plymouth Parkway 80. Dover Athletic 80 balls will be drawn for the first-round ties (Getty) When will the FA Cup first-round ties take place? The 40 FA Cup first-round matches will be held across the weekend of 7-8 of November, with the second-round draw presumed to take place on the evening of Monday 9 November.