After six rounds of preliminary and qualifying matches, the first round proper of the FA Cup gets under way from Friday. A total of 40 matches will be played during the long weekend, beginning with two games on Friday, followed by 33 on Saturday, four on Sunday, and one on Monday. Premier League and Championship teams do not enter the competition until the third round, which is designated to start on 9 January 2027.
Here is how you can watch, listen and keep across all the action on the BBC. The BBC will be showing two of the first-round fixtures live - with both available on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. In the first of those, National League side Altrincham carry a reputation for giant-killing into their match with League One's Notts County on Saturday.
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. Notts County are the world's oldest professional league team and won the FA Cup in 1894. In the second BBC televised game of the weekend, Cray Wanderers of the Isthmian League meet League One high-flyers Stockport County on Sunday.
Reputed to be London's oldest football club - pre-dating the FA Cup itself - it is the first time seventh-tier Cray have made it to the first round. Altrincham v Notts County - coverage from 17:15, kick-off 17:30 Cray Wanderers v Stockport County - coverage from 14:00, kick-off 14:15 A live highlights show hosted by Jason Mohammad will round up the weekend's action on Sunday from 17:10 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, including 2021 FA Cup winners Leicester's visit to sixth-tier Oxford City. Live text commentary will cover all of the weekend's action, while digital highlights will be available on the BBC Sport website, app and social media channels.
There will be eight ties shown live on television across the weekend, with the remaining six games being broadcast on TNT Sports. BBC local radio stations will have commentaries of selected matches from the first round, available on BBC Sounds. Five games have also been selected for coverage on BBC 5 Sports Extra, Sports Extra 2 and Sports Extra 3.
Oxford City v Leicester City - BBC Radio Oxford Bristol Rovers v Cambridge United - BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and BBC 5 Sports Extra 2 Accrington Stanley v Wycombe Wanderers - BBC Radio Three Counties (via BBC Sport website) Barnsley v Aldershot - BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey (via BBC Sport website) Boreham Wood v Wigan Athletic - BBC Radio Manchester Bradford City v Marine - BBC Radio Leeds Burton Albion v AFC Rushden & Diamonds - BBC Radio Derby Carlisle United v Salford City - BBC Radio Cumbria Cheltenham Town v FC Halifax Town - BBC Radio Gloucester Chesterfield v Yeovil Town - BBC Radio Somerset Colchester United v Worcester City - BBC Radio Essex Crewe Alexandra v AFC Wimbledon - BBC Radio Stoke (via BBC Sport website) Eastleigh v Shrewsbury Town - BBC Radio Shropshire (via BBC Sport website) Gillingham v Barrow - BBC Radio Kent and BBC Radio Cumbria (via BBC Sport website) Hornchurch v Blackpool - BBC Radio Lancashire Huddersfield Town v Exeter City - BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Leeds (via BBC Sport website) Kidderminster Harriers v Doncaster Rovers - BBC Radio Sheffield Leyton Orient v Harborough Town - BBC Radio Leicester Luton Town v Forest Green Rovers - BBC Radio Three Counties and BBC Radio Gloucestershire (via BBC Sport website) Mansfield Town v Macclesfield - BBC Radio Nottingham MK Dons v Swindon Town - BBC Radio Wiltshire and BBC Radio Three Counties (via BBC Sport website) Oxford United v Stevenage - BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Three Counties (via BBC Sport website) Plymouth Argyle v Alvechurch - BBC Radio Devon (via BBC Sport website)
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