It’s crunch time in the FA Cup with history and the glare of a nation approximately 180 minutes away, with the 2026/27 FA Cup Third Qualifying Round draw on the horizon.
The FA Cup Second Qualifying Round at the weekend marks a huge achievement for some clubs, and the big kick-off for others. Maidenhead United and Slough Town are playing their first games while Windsor & Eton and Tadley Calleva have already made it through three rounds.
In recent seasons, Slough have been Berkshire’s top-performing non-league side in the FA Cup, reaching the Second Round Proper three times since 2017/18 – last season they even managed to go further than Reading.
Here’s everything we know – and you need to know – so far about the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round draw.
Results for Berkshire sides in the 2026/27 FA Cup Second Qualifying Round
Matches to be played on the weekend of 18th/19th/20th September 2026.
- Bishops Cleeve 0-1 Tadley Calleva
- Eastbourne Borough 3-0 Windsor & Eton
- Maidenhead United 1-3 Ebbsfleet United
- Slimbridge 1-3 Hungerford Town
- Slough Town 0-1Chatham Town
Draw for Berkshire sides in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Fixtures to be confirmed..
Which FA Cup Second Qualifying Round match is being broadcast by the BBC?
The BBC is once again broadcasting selected matches from the early rounds of the competition as it has in recent seasons, for example, last season with Tadley Calleva vs Weymouth.
The selected Second Qualifying Round tie is Redcar Town vs Darlington Saturday 19 September. The match will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Football’s YouTube channel, and the BBC Sport website. Kick-off is at 12:30pm on Saturday 5th September.
Some notes on the fixture from the FA: “Redcar Town, competing in the FA Cup for the first time in their history, have enjoyed victories against Newcastle Benfield, Bridlington Town and Blyth Spartans to reach the second round qualifying. They will now welcome National League North side Darlington, who enter the competition at this stage, to the Mo Mowlam Memorial Park.”
Fingers crossed for some Berkshire-based live BBC Sport coverage of the Third Qualifying Round.
As a reminder, an FA spokesperson told Football in Berkshire: “As guidance, the broadcast rights for the qualifying rounds sit separately to the competition proper (EG TNT Sports). As per previous seasons, matches in the qualifying rounds may be selected for broadcast on an ad-hoc basis. We are hopeful for broadcast coverage of the qualifying rounds, and we will confirm if any arrangements are made on a round-by-round basis.”
Who’s in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round draw?
The FA Cup Third Qualifying Round has five Football in Berkshire sides currently ‘in the hat’ pending Second Qualifying Round ties. There are no new sides added in the Third Qualifying Round, the top-tier National League sides enter in the Fourth Qualifying Round.
When is the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round draw?
The date and time for the draw for the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round is yet to be confirmed by the FA.
However, the draw is traditionally released the Monday following the weekends fixtures so we’d expect to see it at 1pm on Monday 21st September across FA channels and we’ll round it up here.
When will Third Qualifying Round matches be played, and what is the prize money on offer?
FA Cup Third Qualifying Round matches are due to take place on the weekend of Saturday 3rd October 2026. The prize money split is £5,625 to 40 winning teams, and £1,875 to 40 losing teams.
Full details of FA Cup round dates and prize funds round by round is here.
Read next: How to qualify for the FA Cup
