The FA Cup second round draw is complete, and the non-league clubs left in the competition have learned their fate. Dover Athletic will host 2021 winners Leicester City, seventh-tier Wimborne Town welcome League One Bradford City, and Plymouth Parkway face Barnet after winning the final first-round tie on Monday night.
The draw was made on Monday 9 November 2026, before Plymouth Parkway beat Berkhamsted 2-1 after extra time to complete the 40-team second-round field. All 20 ties will be played across the weekend of 5–6 December 2026, with the winners earning £79,500 in prize money and the losers taking £21,200.
The Premier League and Championship clubs enter in the third round, so the second round is the last chance for the smallest clubs in the draw to dream of a glamour tie in January. For Dover, Wimborne and Guiseley, that dream is now one win away.
FA Cup Second Round Draw — Quick Reference
| Detail | Confirmed fact |
|---|---|
| Competition | Emirates FA Cup 2026/27, second round |
| Draw date | Monday 9 November 2026 |
| Ties played | Weekend of 5–6 December 2026 |
| Teams in the draw | 40 (20 ties) |
| Winners’ prize money | £79,500 |
| Losers’ prize money | £21,200 |
| Headline tie | Dover Athletic v Leicester City |
| Lowest-ranked clubs left | Wimborne Town and Guiseley (seventh tier) |
| Next round | Third round — Premier League and Championship clubs enter |
Dover Athletic Handed the Dream Tie Against Leicester City
Dover Athletic, of National League South, will host Leicester City at the Crabble in the standout tie of the draw. Leicester won the Premier League in 2016 and lifted the FA Cup in 2021, so the visit of Russell Martin’s side is the biggest home fixture in Dover’s recent history.
Leicester reached the second round the hard way, coming through a testing trip to National League North side Oxford City on Friday night with a 4-2 win. They will be on their travels to face a non-league club again, and Dover will believe an upset is possible on their own ground.
The tie is exactly what the FA Cup second round is built for: a part-time club, a famous name, and a ground that will be packed to the rafters. Dover’s players have already beaten higher-ranked opposition to get here, and Leicester cannot afford to take the tie lightly.
Wimborne Town and Guiseley Rewarded for Giant-Killing Weekends
Wimborne Town, the seventh-tier side who stunned League Two Crawley Town 2-0 at the weekend, have been handed a home tie against League One Bradford City. It is Wimborne’s first-ever appearance in the FA Cup second round, and the reward is a visit from a club who beat Marine 7-0 in the first round.
Guiseley, the other seventh-tier club still standing, will host League One Notts County at Nethermoor after beating National League Sutton United 1-0. Both ties give the minnows a genuine home advantage, and both Bradford and Notts County know they are walking into exactly the kind of fixture that produces FA Cup shocks.
The draw also paired Salisbury, of National League South, at home to 1953 winners Blackpool, while AFC Fylde welcome Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town to the north-west coast. Kidderminster Harriers, who thrashed League One Doncaster Rovers 3-0 on Saturday, travel to Barrow in a tie that guarantees a National League club a place in the third round.
Plymouth Parkway Complete the Field After Extra-Time Drama
Plymouth Parkway are the last team into the second round after beating Berkhamsted 2-1 after extra time on Monday night. Two Rocky Neal penalties turned the tie around at Bolitho Park, with the second arriving in the 105th minute, and Parkway will now host League Two Barnet on the weekend of 5 December.
It is the first time Plymouth Parkway have reached the FA Cup second round, and the draw has given them a home tie against Football League opposition. Berkhamsted, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, led through Luke Andrews early in the second half before Neal’s penalties settled the tie.
The result means the second-round field is now final, with 20 ties confirmed and no replays or outstanding fixtures to resolve. The Manchester United and Aston Villa sides that produced a 4-4 thriller at the weekend will not enter the competition until the third round, when the Premier League clubs join the draw.
What the Second Round Is Worth — and What Comes Next
The financial stakes in the second round are significant for clubs at this level. Winners take £79,500 from the FA’s prize pot, while the defeated sides still receive £21,200, a sum that can fund a non-league club for weeks. For a club like Wimborne Town, a win over Bradford City would be worth far more than the prize money alone, with a third-round tie against a Premier League club potentially following.
The 20 winners will progress to the third round, where the Premier League and Championship clubs enter the competition. The third-round draw is expected to take place on the evening of Monday 7 December, once the second-round ties are complete.
For now, though, the focus is on the weekend of 5–6 December. Dover against Leicester, Wimborne against Bradford and Guiseley against Notts County give the second round three genuine giant-killing opportunities, and the Mauricio Pochettino link to the Manchester United job shows how quickly the football conversation moves on from cup weekends.
FA Cup Second Round Draw in Full
| Home team | Away team |
|---|---|
| Chesterfield | Cheltenham Town |
| Guiseley | Notts County |
| Wigan Athletic | Barnsley |
| Exeter City | Stevenage |
| Plymouth Parkway | Barnet |
| York City | Carlisle United |
| Crewe Alexandra | Plymouth Argyle |
| AFC Fylde | Luton Town |
| Barrow | Kidderminster Harriers |
| Colchester United | Mansfield Town |
| Rochdale | Newport County |
| Dover Athletic | Leicester City |
| Port Vale | Leyton Orient |
| Grimsby Town | Oldham Athletic |
| Shrewsbury Town | Burton Albion |
| Salisbury | Blackpool |
| Wimborne Town | Bradford City |
| Rotherham United | Bristol Rovers |
| Reading | Stockport County |
| Wycombe Wanderers | Milton Keynes Dons |
The National League confirmed the draw in full. TNT Sports covered the draw live.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the FA Cup second round played?
The 20 ties will be played across the weekend of 5–6 December 2026.
Who do Dover Athletic play in the FA Cup second round?
Dover Athletic host Leicester City, the 2021 FA Cup winners and 2016 Premier League champions, at the Crabble.
Which seventh-tier clubs are in the FA Cup second round?
Wimborne Town and Guiseley. Wimborne host Bradford City, while Guiseley host Notts County.
How much prize money do FA Cup second-round winners get?
Winners receive £79,500 from the FA’s prize pot, and the losing clubs still receive £21,200.
When do Premier League clubs enter the FA Cup?
Premier League and Championship clubs enter in the third round. The third-round draw is expected on the evening of Monday 7 December 2026.
How did Plymouth Parkway reach the second round?
Plymouth Parkway beat Berkhamsted 2-1 after extra time on Monday 9 November 2026, with Rocky Neal scoring two penalties, to reach the second round for the first time.
