FA Competitions 2026/27

[Rhodes]

The FA is expected to publish the list of which Club's have been accepted for the FA Cup, FA Trophy and FA Vase on Friday 3 July with the draws for the early rounds of the competitions, including the FA Youth Cup, published a week Iater, on Friday 10 July. Dates for the respective rounds of all competitions have already been announced (see below):

Competition Draws
Draws for the following competitions shall be released on Friday 10 July 2026:
FA Cup – Extra Preliminary Round & Preliminary Round
FA Trophy – Preliminary Round and First Round Qualifying
FA Vase – First Round Qualifying & Second Round Qualifying
FA Youth Cup – Extra Preliminary Round & Preliminary Round 

https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/jun/05/round-dates

Edited June 8 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

A week earlier than anticipated, the Football Association (FA) have published their comprehensive list of which Club's have been accepted for the FA Cup, FA Trophy, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup as well as the round by round exemptions and prize funds for each competition:

https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/jun/26/clubs-accepted-exemptions-mens-fa-cup-fa-youth-fa-trophy-fa-vase-2026-27

[Rhodes]

Here we go folks, the draws for the early rounds of the FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup involving Spartan South Midlands League (SSML) Clubs as well as the FA Trophy:

https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/jul/02/2026-27-early-round-cup-draws

[Rhodes]

Typically an all Spartan South Midlands League (SSML) affair in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Vase on Saturday 15 August between Tring Athletic and Aylesbury Vale Dynamos:

Edited July 3 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

An interesting draw for Buckingham FC in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Vase on Saturday 15 August:

Edited July 3 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

There are four all Spartan South Midlands League (SSML) Extra Preliminary Round ties in the FA Cup, last season (2025/26) there were surprisingly only two and the season before (2024/25) just one and, coincidentally, involving Cockfosters in all three seasons:

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round (Saturday 8 August)
Baldock Town v Kempston Rovers
Biggleswade United v Woodford Town
North Greenford United v Arlesey Town
Everett Rovers v Kings Langley
Sawbridgeworth Town v AFC Welwyn 
Ilford v Dunstable FC
Tilbury v Wormley Rovers
Harpenden Town v Hayes & Yeading United
Witham Town v Colney Heath
Harlow Town v Frenford
Enfield FC v Welwyn Garden City
Cockfosters v Potton United
Newport Pagnell Town v Marlow FC
Wells City v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos
Abingdon United v Risborough Rangers
Reading City v Tring Athletic

Extra Preliminary Round

Edited Tuesday at 10:34 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Cranfield United will fancy their chances against, now Step 6, Edgware and Kingsbury in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round on Saturday 15 August, how the 'mighty' have fallen: 

[Rhodes]

All the FA Vase First Qualifying Round ties involving Spartan South Midlands League Club's, the remainder have byes to later rounds of the competition:

FA Vase First Qualifying Round (Saturday 15 August)
Eaton Socon v Yaxley FC
Basildon United v Baldock Town
Langford v Haverhill Rovers
Harlow Town v Harwich & Parkeston
Burnham Ramblers v AFC Welwyn 
Cannons Wood v Colney Heath
Arlesey Town v Biggleswade United
Hadleigh United v Sawbridgeworth Town
Stansted v Potton United
East Thurrock Community v Letchworth Garden City Eagles
Enfield FC v Belstone
Spartans Youth v Kempston Rovers
Risborough Rangers v Holmer Green
Broadfields United v Ampthill Town
Abingdon United v Rushden & Higham United
Rothwell Corinthians v Northwood
Newport Pagnell Town v Spelthorne Sports
Buckingham FC v Bedfont FC
Rayners Lane v New Bradwell St Peter
Crawley Green v Kidlington
Cranfield United v Edgware & Kingsbury
Wellingborough Whitworth v Langley
Everett Rovers v Brook House
Tring Athletic v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

First Round Qualifying

Edited Tuesday at 10:35 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

However many of the twenty Spartan South Midlands League (SSML) Club's progress to the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup, here are all their interesting looking scheduled ties:

FA Cup Preliminary Round (Saturday 22 August)
Romford or Barton Rovers v Baldock Town or Kempston Rovers
Biggleswade United or Woodford Town v Sawbridgeworth Town or AFC Welwyn 
Everett Rovers or Kings Langley v Canvey Island
Ilford or Dunstable FC v North Greenford United or Arlesey Town
Biggleswade Town v Tilbury or Wormley Rovers
Harpenden Town or Hayes & Yeading United v White Ensign or Heybridge Swifts
Witham Town or Colney Heath v Potters Bar Town
Haringey Borough or Sporting Bengal United v Harlow Town or Frenford
Hashtag United v Enfield FC or Welwyn Garden City
Stotfold or Basildon United v Cockfosters or Potton United
Newport Pagnell Town or Marlow FC v Hartpury FC or Cirencester Town
Wells City or  Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Abingdon United or Risborough Rangers
Reading City or Tring Athletic v Cribbs FC or Fairford Town

Preliminary Round

[Rhodes]

The Spartan South Midlands League (SSML) Club's competing in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round know their Second Qualifying Round opponents should they progress and Huntingdon Town, Wormley Rovers, Dunstable FC, Kings Langley, Bugbrooke St Michaels and Irchester United join at this stage having received First Qualifying Round byes: 

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round (Saturday 12 September)
Eaton Socon or Yaxley FC v Kirkley & Pakefield
Basildon United or Baldock Town v FC Baresi or Cornard United
Langford or Haverhill Rovers v East Thurrock Community or Letchworth Garden City Eagles
May & Baker Eastbrook Community or London Harts United v Harlow Town or Harwich & Parkeston
Burnham Ramblers or AFC Welwyn v Romford or Ilford
Hackney Wick or Basildon Town v Cannons Wood or Colney Heath
Great Wakering Rovers v Arlesey Town or Biggleswade United
Dunmow Town or Brantham Athletic v Hadleigh United or Sawbridgeworth Town
Stansted or Potton United v Wormley Rovers
Enfield FC or Belstone v Wivenhoe Town or Frenford
Spartans Youth or Kempston Rovers v Abingdon United or Rushden & Higham United
Risborough Rangers or Holmer Green v Northampton Sileby Rangers
Broadfields United or Ampthill Town v Cranfield United or Edgware & Kingsbury
Rothwell Corinthians or Northwood v Maidenhead Town
Newport Pagnell Town or Spelthorne Sports v Sport London e Benfica or Virginia Water
Buckingham FC or Bedfont FC v Holyport or Amersham Town
Rayners Lane or New Bradwell St Peter v Moulton FC
Crawley Green or Kidlington v Wembley
Wellingborough Whitworth or Langley v Tring Athletic or Aylesbury Vale Dynamos
Everett Rovers or Brook House v Daventry Town
Wisbech Town or Framlingham Town v Huntingdon Town
Dunstable FC v Hilltop
Kings Langley v Bugbrooke St Michaels
Oxhey Jets v Irchester United

Edited Tuesday at 14:56 by Rhodes