Cup draws, deadlines, and the clocks going back: the next two months are packed for anyone who plays, runs, or follows football below the professional game. This calendar pulls the dates from the FA’s published schedules into one place, with the prize money and the practical points that go with them.
Already Played This Autumn
- Sunday 4 October: FA Sunday Cup first round (50 ties, 14 clubs with byes)
- Saturday 10 October: FA Vase first round proper
- Saturday 17 October: FA Cup fourth qualifying round, the last stage before the clubs from League One and League Two join the competition proper
Coming Up
| Date | Competition or event | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 25 October | Clocks go back | At 2 am BST, which becomes 1 am GMT; see the note below |
| Saturday 31 October | FA Vase second round proper | Winners receive £900, losing clubs £275 |
| Saturday 7 November | FA Cup first round proper | Winners receive £47,750, losing clubs £15,800 |
| Saturday 7 November, 12 noon | FA Sunday Cup player registration deadline | Applies whatever time the match is played |
| Sunday 8 November | FA Sunday Cup second round | 32 ties; grants of £250 home, £200 away |
| Saturday 28 November | FA Vase third round proper | Winners receive £1,125, losing clubs £350 |
| Saturday 5 December | FA Cup second round proper | Winners receive £79,500, losing clubs £21,200 |
| Sunday 6 December | FA Sunday Cup third round | Winners of the 8 November ties go through |
FA Cup and FA Vase prize money is taken from the FA’s official prize fund pages. For the full second round draw, see our FA Sunday Cup second round guide.
Looking Further Ahead
- FA Cup third round proper: Saturday 9 January 2027
- FA Sunday Cup fourth round: Sunday 17 January 2027
- FA Vase fourth round proper: Saturday 9 January 2027
- FA Sunday Cup fifth round: Sunday 14 February 2027
- FA Cup final: Saturday 22 May 2027
- FA Vase final at Wembley (Non-League Finals Day): Sunday 16 May 2027
Why the Clocks Matter for Grassroots Football
When the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, daylight shifts earlier in the evening. By early November, sunset falls before 5 pm across much of the UK, which affects clubs in three ways:
- Training sessions. Evening sessions on unlit pitches become difficult, so clubs without floodlights need an indoor or 3G fallback. If that sounds like your club, see our overview of £85 million in grassroots facilities funding.
- Afternoon kick-offs. A 2.00 pm start leaves limited margin for extra time or delays, so referees and captains should agree a plan early.
- Pitch condition. Shorter days and colder nights make surfaces slower to dry, and postponements follow. Our report on the drought that postponed grassroots football shows how quickly conditions can change either way.
How to Use This Calendar
Dates are set by the FA and can move for broadcast or pitch reasons, so always confirm with your league or on TheFA.com. New to the Sunday competition? Read our guide to how the FA Sunday Cup works.