What do you need to know ahead of the FA Cup Third Round Proper draw?

The Emirates FA Cup heats up this weekend, with 11 Non-League sides still in the competition hoping to make Monday’s coveted third-round draw.

Gateshead, Carlisle United, Boreham Wood and others will be flying the flag for the lower-tier opposition in the second round.

With two all-Non-League ties, at least two clubs are guaranteed a spot in the next round – and a shot at facing a Premier League giant.

Here’s everything you need to know about the draw if your club can etch its name into FA Cup folklore.

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When will the Emirates FA Cup third round draw take place?

The third round proper draw will be made on Monday 8 December, live on TNT Sports, as clubs from the Premier League and EFL Championship enter the competition.

How can I watch the draw?

Pre-match coverage of the final second round tie between Brackley Town and Burton Albion starts at 6.30pm GMT on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+.

The draw itself is scheduled for around 6.40pm GMT and will also be streamed live on the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

Who will present and make the draw?

Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist will host the coverage, while former players Joe Cole and Peter Crouch will conduct the draw.

When will the third round ties be played?

The third round fixtures are set for the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2026.

What are the ball numbers for the third round draw?

The ball numbers for the draw, including Premier League, Championship, and lower-tier winners, are:

1. AFC Bournemouth
2. Arsenal
3. Aston Villa
4. Birmingham City
5. Blackburn Rovers
6. Brentford
7. Brighton & Hove Albion
8. Bristol City
9. Burnley
10. Charlton Athletic
11. Chelsea
12. Coventry City
13. Crystal Palace
14. Derby County
15. Everton
16. Fulham
17. Hull City
18. Ipswich Town
19. Leeds United
20. Leicester City
21. Liverpool
22. Manchester City
23. Manchester United
24. Middlesbrough
25. Millwall
26. Newcastle United
27. Norwich City
28. Nottingham Forest
29. Oxford United
30. Portsmouth
31. Preston North End
32. Queens Park Rangers
33. Sheffield United
34. Sheffield Wednesday
35. Southampton
36. Stoke City
37. Sunderland
38. Swansea City
39. Tottenham Hotspur
40. Watford
41. West Bromwich Albion
42. West Ham United
43. Wolverhampton Wanderers
44. Wrexham
45. Slough Town or Macclesfield
46. Grimsby Town or Wealdstone
47. Sutton United or Shrewsbury Town
48. Swindon Town or Bolton Wanderers
49. Chelmsford City or Weston Super Mare
50. Peterborough United or Barnsley
51. Boreham Wood or Newport County
52. Milton Keynes Dons or Oldham Athletic
53. Wigan Athletic or Barrow
54. Fleetwood Town or Luton Town
55. Salford City or Leyton Orient
56. Accrington Stanley or Mansfield Town
57. Stockport County or Cambridge United
58. Brackley Town or Burton Albion
59. Blackpool or Carlisle United
60. Gateshead or Walsall
61. Exeter City or Wycombe Wanderers
62. Cheltenham Town or Buxton
63. Chesterfield or Doncaster Rovers
64. Port Vale or Bristol Rovers

READ MORE: Which Non-League sides will feature in the FA Cup Second Round Proper TV coverage?