FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Draw: 80 Ties Set for September 19 Showdown

The road to Wembley just got a little more interesting for England’s non-league sides. The Football Association confirmed the draw for the Emirates FA Cup second round qualifying on Monday, September 7, 2026, pairing off 80 clubs from across the National League System ahead of a bumper weekend of football on Saturday, September 19.

It’s the stage where the competition properly opens its doors to National League North and National League South clubs, 48 of whom entered the fray this week to join the 112 winners who survived the opening qualifying round. What’s left is a draw stacked with local rivalries, a few high-profile non-league names chasing another cup run, and at least one tie that could decide bragging rights for an entire county.

Here’s everything you need to know: the date, the prize money, the full list of pairings, and the storylines worth following as the ties are played out.

When Is the Second Qualifying Round?

All 80 second round qualifying ties are scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, September 19, 2026, with 3pm kick-offs the default across the board, though a handful of clubs may shift their fixtures for broadcast or logistical reasons. Any match that finishes level after 90 minutes goes to a replay, played in midweek at the ground of the team who were away in the original tie.

Winning clubs pocket £3,375 from the FA’s prize fund, while the beaten side still walks away with £1,125 for their troubles, a welcome cash injection for clubs operating on tight non-league budgets. Get through this weekend and a place in the third qualifying round, plus a shot at reaching the first round proper in November, awaits.

Big Names in the Hat

The second qualifying round is traditionally where the competition starts to feel like a genuine cup rather than a formality for part-time football, and this year is no exception. Among the National League North and South clubs stepping in are Morecambe, who dropped into non-league football after relegation from the EFL, along with Dagenham & Redbridge and Macclesfield Town.

Macclesfield’s name alone will raise eyebrows. The Silkmen were last season’s standout non-league performer in the competition, going all the way to the fourth round proper after knocking out Premier League side Crystal Palace in round three, before eventually bowing out to Brentford. They’ve been handed an away trip to Redcar Athletic this time around, a tie that will be one to watch given the form book.

There’s also intrigue much closer to home for fans following the East Midlands, where Lincolnshire could end up settling an all-county derby of its own. Tie number 19 pits the winner of North Ferriby or Barton Town against whoever comes through Bourne Town or Boldmere St Michaels, meaning it’s possible, though not guaranteed, that two Lincolnshire clubs collide for a spot in round three. Gainsborough Trinity already know their fate regardless: an away day at Leamington, while Spalding United get home advantage against Hanley Town at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.

Elsewhere, the draw threw up plenty of appealing derbies and long trips alike. Rushall Olympic, fresh off beating Stourbridge in round one, now travel to Harborough Town of the National League North. Bury, who put eight past Wythenshawe in the previous round, head to Workington. And after 365 goals flew in across the 112 first qualifying round matches, expect goals to keep coming.

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round: Full Draw

Below is the complete list of pairings confirmed by the FA for the September 19 weekend.

Some ties are still to be finalised pending first qualifying round replays being played out in midweek before September 19.

The FA Cup Calendar

Once the dust settles on September 19, attention turns quickly to the third qualifying round, the last stop before National League clubs join the competition. Here’s how the rest of the road to the first round proper looks.

There’s a long way to go before anyone gets near Wembley, and even further before the reigning champions defend their crown. Manchester City lifted the trophy last season, beating Chelsea in the final to win the competition for a record fourth consecutive year, though City themselves won’t enter until the third round proper in January, when Premier League and Championship clubs join the party.

For now, though, the spotlight belongs to the part-timers, the Saturday warriors, and the clubs dreaming of a giant-killing headline. September 19 can’t come soon enough.