Leicester City will play FA Cup football in the first round proper for the first time since 2008, and they will play it at a non-league ground. The draw sent Russell Martin's side to Oxford City of National League North, sixth tier, for a place in round two.
Five years from Wembley to the Whitehouse Ground
It is a short distance in years and an enormous one in circumstance. Leicester lifted the FA Cup in 2021. They were relegated to League One for this season and currently sit 14th there after a start Martin would not describe as settled. Clubs of Leicester's recent standing normally enter this competition in January, seeded and rested. Entering in November, away to a side four divisions below, is the part of the fall that supporters tend to feel most sharply.
Oxford City will not mind any of that. A tie like this is worth a season of gate receipts to a club at that level, and the first round is where those stories traditionally begin.
Savage against Savage, and four clubs with no history here at all
The draw also produced a fixture that writes its own headline. Peterborough United, managed by Robbie Savage, were drawn at home to Reading, where his son Charlie plays. Ninety-one teams came out of the hat in all, and four of them have reached the first round proper for the first time in their existence.
AFC Rushden and Diamonds are among them. The eighth-tier side have already won five ties this season to get here, and their reward is a trip to Burton Albion of League One. At the other end of the ladder, Bradford City, the League One leaders and the highest-ranked club in the draw, will host Marine of National League North.
The longest road belongs to Tadley Calleva
The lowest-ranked club left in the competition is Tadley Calleva, who came from behind twice against Aldershot Town to force a replay. Win that, and they go to Barnsley. Lose it, and Aldershot take the tie instead. Either way, somebody from that replay walks out at Oakwell.
Elsewhere in the draw, Oldham Athletic meet Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United host Stevenage, Luton Town await the winners of Chesham United against Forest Green Rovers, and Hornchurch were handed a home tie with Blackpool. Ties are scheduled for the weekend of Saturday 7 November.
Competition context: FA Cup first round draw for 2026-27, made on 19 October 2026. Ties are set for the weekend of Saturday 7 November. Leicester City, who won the competition in 2021, are in it at this stage for the first time since 2008. Oxford City play in National League North, the sixth tier of English football.
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