The Women’s FA Cup 2026/27 has reached the first round proper, with 96 clubs preparing for 48 ties on Sunday 25 October.
The draw has been completed and is divided into three regional groups: North, Midlands and South. The first round proper also marks the entry of clubs from the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division and Southern Premier Division.
Several notable fixtures have emerged from the draw, including Portsmouth against Cheltenham Town, Leeds United against Rotherham United, and Exeter City against Hashtag United.
This page tracks the Women’s FA Cup throughout the 2026/27 season, including the latest results, upcoming fixtures and draws, round dates, prize money and broadcast information.
Manchester City are the defending champions after defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 in the 2025/26 final. The competition has now reached the First round proper scheduled for 25 October. The winners will advance to the second round proper.
Last updated: 19 October 2026
Women’s FA Cup 2026/27 at a Glance
- Competition began: 23 August 2026
- Participating clubs: 536
- Next round: 25 October 2026
- WSL 2 clubs enter: Third Round Proper, 13 December 2026
- WSL clubs enter: Fourth Round Proper, 17 January 2027
- Quarter-finals: 21 March 2027
- Semi-finals: 11 April 2027
- Final: 15 May 2027
- Final venue: Wembley Stadium
- Defending champions: Manchester City
- Most successful club: Arsenal, 14 titles
- Broadcast partners: TNT Sports and Channel 4
- VAR: Not used
- Final prize money: £430,000 for the winners
Third Round Qualifying Highlights
Several clubs produced emphatic victories on the final day of qualifying. Leeds United turned a 3-0 advantage into a 12-1 victory over Stockton Town, while Preston North End beat North Ferriby Ladies 7-0. Sporting Khalsa booked their place in the first round proper with an 8-0 win over Oakham United, and Notts County recorded the same scoreline against Kirby Muxloe.
AFC Fylde knocked out Blackburn Rovers with a 3-2 victory, with Lauryn Wood scoring twice. Reading were another notable casualty as Bromley secured a 1-0 victory.
Workington Town progressed on penalties against Doncaster Rovers Belles, while Nantwich Town also needed a shootout to eliminate Hednesford Town after their match finished goalless.
When Is the Next Women’s FA Cup Round?
The next stage of the 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup is the first round proper, which will be played on Sunday 25 October 2026. The draw is divided into three regional groups, featuring 13 ties in the North, 15 in the Midlands and 20 in the South.
This stage introduces the 24 clubs from the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division and Southern Premier Division, who join the teams that progressed through qualifying.
The winners will advance to the second round proper on Sunday 15 November, before WSL 2 clubs enter in the third round proper on 13 December.
Women’s FA Cup First Round Proper
The first round proper of the 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup features 96 clubs competing in 48 knockout ties on Sunday 25 October. The draw took place live on the official Women’s FA Cup YouTube and TikTok channels, with clubs separated into three regional groups.
First Round Proper Draw
- Draw: Completed
- Match date: Sunday 25 October 2026
- Number of clubs: 96
- Number of ties: 48
- Prize money: £7,000 for winning clubs / £2,500 for losing clubs
The draw includes several interesting fixtures across the country. Leeds United will host Rotherham United, while Huddersfield Town face Middlesbrough in the northern section.
In the Midlands, West Bromwich Albion meet Notts County, Northampton Town host Stoke City and Norwich City face Redditch Borough.
The southern section includes Portsmouth against Cheltenham Town, Queens Park Rangers against Lewes, Exeter City against Hashtag United and Fulham against Enfield Town. The winners of all 48 ties will progress to the second round proper.
Women’s FA Cup 2026/27 Upcoming Fixtures
Group 1 – North (13 ties)
| No. | Home team | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds Modernians | Liverpool Feds |
| 2 | Norton & Stockton Ancients | AFC Fylde |
| 3 | Grimsby Town | Stockport County |
| 4 | Workington Town | Mancunian Unity |
| 5 | Durham Cestria | Hull City |
| 6 | Harrogate Town | Bolton Wanderers |
| 7 | Wigan Athletic Women | Chester-Le-Street Town |
| 8 | Lincoln | Halifax |
| 9 | Thornaby | Chorley |
| 10 | Preston North End | i2i International Soccer Academy |
| 11 | Huddersfield Town | Middlesbrough |
| 12 | South Shields | SJR Worksop |
| 13 | Leeds United | Rotherham United |
Group 2 – Midlands (15 ties)
| No. | Home team | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kidderminster Harriers | Wroxham |
| 2 | Sutton Coldfield Town | Derby County |
| 3 | Northampton Town | Stoke City |
| 4 | Lye Town or Coton Green | Peterborough United |
| 5 | West Bromwich Albion | Notts County |
| 6 | Port Vale | Boldmere St Michaels |
| 7 | Luton Town | Cambridge United |
| 8 | Leafield Athletic | Mansfield Town |
| 9 | Norwich City | Redditch Borough |
| 10 | Royston Town | Crewe Alexandra |
| 11 | Milton Keynes Dons | Nantwich Town |
| 12 | Harpenden Town | Chesterfield |
| 13 | Rugby Borough | Sporting Khalsa |
| 14 | Real Bedford | Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers |
| 15 | Nottingham Trent University | Loughborough Lightning |
Group 3 – South (20 ties)
| No. | Home team | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Actonians | Marine Academy Plymouth |
| 2 | Portsmouth | Cheltenham Town |
| 3 | Queens Park Rangers | Lewes |
| 4 | St Agnes | Portishead Town |
| 5 | Barking | Bromley |
| 6 | Gwalia United | Yate Town |
| 7 | Haringey Borough | Dulwich Hamlet |
| 8 | Abingdon United | Bristol Rovers |
| 9 | Brentford | Dartford |
| 10 | Plymouth Argyle | Millwall Lionesses |
| 11 | Exeter City | Hashtag United |
| 12 | AFC Bournemouth | Feniton |
| 13 | Moneyfields | Saltdean United |
| 14 | Tooting Bec | Chatham Town |
| 15 | Swindon Town | Bridgwater United |
| 16 | Hammersmith | AFC Wimbledon |
| 17 | Fulham | Enfield Town |
| 18 | Winchester City Flyers | Keynsham Town |
| 19 | Maidenhead United | Andover New Street |
| 20 | AFC Portchester Ladies | Oxford United |
Women’s FA Cup 2026/27 Round Dates
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Preliminary Round | Sunday 23 August 2026 |
| First Round Qualifying | Sunday 6 September 2026 |
| Second Round Qualifying | Sunday 20 September 2026 |
| Third Round Qualifying | Sunday 4 October 2026 |
| First Round Proper | Sunday 25 October 2026 |
| Second Round Proper | Sunday 15 November 2026 |
| Third Round Proper | Sunday 13 December 2026 |
| Fourth Round Proper | Sunday 17 January 2027 |
| Fifth Round Proper | Sunday 21 February 2027 |
| Quarter-finals | Sunday 21 March 2027 |
| Semi-finals | Sunday 11 April 2027 |
| Final | Saturday 15 May 2027 |
Round dates may change when matches are selected for television or moved by agreement.
Latest Women’s FA Cup Draw
The draw for the first round proper of the 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup has been completed, with 48 ties scheduled for Sunday 25 October.
The competition’s remaining clubs have been divided into three regional groups:
- North: 26 clubs competing in 13 ties.
- Midlands: 30 clubs competing in 15 ties.
- South: 40 clubs competing in 20 ties.
Among the notable first-round fixtures are Leeds United vs Rotherham United, West Bromwich Albion vs Notts County, Portsmouth vs Cheltenham Town, and Exeter City vs Hashtag United.
The full first round proper draw is available through the official Women’s FA Cup website.
When Do WSL Clubs Enter the Women’s FA Cup?
All Women’s Super League clubs enter the 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup in the fourth round proper. That round will be played on Sunday 17 January 2027.
The fourth round is therefore the point at which the competition brings together the WSL clubs, the surviving WSL 2 teams and clubs that have progressed through the earlier rounds.
When Do WSL 2 Clubs Enter?
WSL 2 clubs enter in the third round proper, which is scheduled for Sunday 13 December 2026.
This gives second-tier clubs one opportunity to progress before WSL teams enter. It can also create some of the competition’s most interesting fourth-round draws, particularly when lower-division teams are given home matches against top-flight opponents.
Charlton Athletic demonstrated the possibilities available to a WSL 2 club last season by progressing as far as the quarter-finals.
How Does the Women’s FA Cup Work?
The Women’s FA Cup is a straight knockout competition. Every tie is decided in a single match. There are no replays, meaning a club cannot earn a second opportunity through a draw.
If a game is level after 90 minutes:
- An additional 30 minutes is played.
- Extra time is divided into two 15-minute periods.
- If the score remains level, the tie is decided by penalties.
VAR will not be used during the competition.
Women’s FA Cup Prize Money for 2026/27
The Women’s FA Cup prize fund remains unchanged from the previous season. Payments are awarded to both winning and losing clubs in every round, beginning with £1,000 for preliminary-round winners and £400 for the teams eliminated.
| Round | Winning club | Losing club |
| Preliminary Round | £1,000 | £400 |
| First Round Qualifying | £1,800 | £450 |
| Second Round Qualifying | £3,500 | £1,000 |
| Third Round Qualifying | £4,500 | £1,500 |
| First Round Proper | £7,000 | £2,500 |
| Second Round Proper | £9,000 | £4,000 |
| Third Round Proper | £35,000 | £9,000 |
| Fourth Round Proper | £54,000 | £13,000 |
| Fifth Round Proper | £80,000 | £20,000 |
| Quarter-finals | £90,000 | £22,500 |
| Semi-finals | £160,000 | £40,000 |
| Final | £430,000 | £108,000 |
A WSL club entering in the fourth round and winning the competition would receive £814,000 across its five victories.
A club beginning in the preliminary round could collect £875,800 by winning every round and lifting the trophy at Wembley.
Those cumulative figures are calculated from the FA’s published round-by-round payments.
How to Watch the Women’s FA Cup in 2026/27
TNT Sports and Channel 4 are the UK broadcast partners for the Women’s FA Cup.
Broadcast selections are expected to be announced round by round. Exact television schedules and streaming information are not yet available.
Early-round matches may also be shown through club channels or online platforms, but no complete streaming schedule has been confirmed. This section will be updated when coverage is announced.
Confirmed broadcast information
- UK broadcasters: TNT Sports and Channel 4
- Early-round streaming: To be confirmed
- International broadcasters: To be confirmed
- Women’s FA Cup Final coverage: To be confirmed
When Is the 2027 Women’s FA Cup Final?
The 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 15 May 2027. The kick-off time, ticket prices, supporter allocations and broadcast details have not yet been announced.
Manchester City will enter the competition as defending champions after beating Brighton 4-0 at Wembley in the previous final.
Who Has Won the Most Women’s FA Cups?
Arsenal are the most successful club in Women’s FA Cup history with 14 titles. The most recent five finals have produced three Chelsea victories, Manchester United’s first title and Manchester City’s 2025/26 triumph.
| Season | Winner |
| 2025/26 | Manchester City |
| 2024/25 | Chelsea |
| 2023/24 | Manchester United |
| 2022/23 | Chelsea |
| 2021/22 | Chelsea |
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026/27 Women’s FA Cup begin?
The preliminary round will be played on Sunday 23 August 2026.
When do WSL clubs enter the Women’s FA Cup?
WSL clubs enter in the fourth round proper on Sunday 17 January 2027.
When do WSL 2 clubs enter?
WSL 2 clubs enter in the third round proper on Sunday 13 December 2026.
When is the Women’s FA Cup Final?
The final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 15 May 2027.
Who are the defending champions?
Manchester City are the defending champions after beating Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 in the 2025/26 final.
Who has won the most Women’s FA Cups?
Arsenal hold the record with 14 titles.
Are there replays in the Women’s FA Cup?
No. Matches level after 90 minutes proceed to extra time and then penalties if required.
Is VAR used in the Women’s FA Cup?
No VAR will be used in the 2026/27 competition.
What is the Women’s FA Cup prize money?
The winning club receives a payment for progressing through each round. The final winners receive £430,000, while the runners-up receive £108,000.
Where can I watch the Women’s FA Cup?
TNT Sports and Channel 4 hold the UK broadcast rights. Individual match selections and streaming details will be added when confirmed.
When is the Women’s FA Cup second round qualifying?
The second round qualifying ties will be played on Sunday 20 September 2026. The standard kick-off time is 2pm, although clubs can agree to play at another time.
How many ties are in the Women’s FA Cup second round qualifying draw?
There are 95 second qualifying-round ties. Sherborne Town have received a bye following the withdrawal of Saltash United Women.
Source: FA
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