FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Throws Up 80 Routes To Glory
The road to Wembley has narrowed further, with 160 clubs learning their next opponents as the 2026-27 Emirates FA Cup enters its second qualifying round.
The Football Association’s draw, released on Monday, has produced 80 ties to be played across England on the weekend of September 19, setting up another round of potentially unpredictable encounters in the competition renowned for its giant-killing tradition.
For several clubs outside the professional ranks, the latest draw represents more than another fixture on the calendar. Victory would take them one step closer to the first-round proper, where they could be rewarded with a meeting against some of the biggest names in English football.
Among the clubs carrying significant pedigree into the round is Bury, who will welcome Workington in one of the notable fixtures. Morecambe, another former Football League club, will take on Southport, while Macclesfield face a trip to Redcar Athletic.
Chester have also been handed an away assignment, travelling to Lower Breck, while Hereford will visit Stafford Rangers in another tie featuring clubs with Football League histories.
Torquay United will have home advantage against either Basingstoke Town or AFC Stoneham, with that pairing still requiring a winner before the fixture can be confirmed. Dagenham & Redbridge, meanwhile, will travel to Waltham Abbey.
There will be local interest in Kent as Dover Athletic host Folkestone Invicta, while Maidstone United await either Lewes or Cray Wanderers.
Elsewhere, AFC Totton have been drawn against either Gloucester City or Mangotsfield United, Merthyr Town will entertain Truro City, and Salisbury will meet Taunton Town.
With 80 matches packed into one weekend, the second qualifying round promises to produce another collection of stories from the less-publicised corners of English football, as clubs chase not only progression but the financial and sporting rewards that come with advancing deeper into the FA Cup.
