The FA Cup is back for the 2025-26 season, with clubs across the English football pyramid once again fighting for a place at Wembley.
The Football Association has confirmed the structure for the competition and the key dates for each stage, as the early qualifying rounds begin the long road towards the Final.
The tournament follows its usual format, starting with the extra preliminary round before moving through the preliminary and qualifying stages, where non-league sides look to progress into the First Round Proper.
From there, EFL clubs enter in the First Round, with Premier League and Championship teams joining at the Third Round Proper. The draw for each round will set the match-ups, with ties typically decided in one-off games.
As the rounds progress, the focus turns to the headline weekends in the calendar, with the Third Round traditionally bringing the biggest spotlight and the chance of major upsets. The competition then moves through the Fourth Round, Fifth Round, quarter-finals and semi-finals, before the showpiece Final at Wembley.
Full draw details, fixtures and results for every round will be updated as they are confirmed, including the qualifying round match-ups and the ties that shape the First Round Proper. The schedule will also outline when replays apply and when ties go to extra time and penalties, in line with FA regulations for the season.
The FA Cup remains one of the defining competitions in the English game, with silverware, history and a route into Europe on the line for the winners.
