The BBC will show two 2026/27 FA Cup first-round proper ties live in the United Kingdom: Altrincham v Notts County on Saturday 7 November at 17:30 GMT and Cray Wanderers v Stockport County on Sunday 8 November at 14:15 GMT. Both are scheduled for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. The Football Association (FA) published its selections on 22 October 2026.
Eight ties have been selected for live television, but only these two feature in the BBC schedule. All eight are also listed for TNT Sports and HBO Max in the UK. All times below are UK local times in GMT; details were checked on 24 October 2026.
Which FA Cup games are live on the BBC?
| UK date | Fixture | Kick-off (GMT) | BBC Two / iPlayer | Paid alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov 2026 | Altrincham v Notts County | 17:30 | Coverage from 17:15 | TNT Sports 1 / HBO Max (from 17:00) |
| Sun 8 Nov 2026 | Cray Wanderers v Stockport County | 14:15 | Live; BBC programme start not specified by The FA | TNT Sports 3 / HBO Max (from 14:00) |
For Saturday, 17:15 is the BBC programme start, not kick-off. Altrincham separately confirmed the 17:30 kick-off at the J.Davidson Stadium. For Sunday, the FA confirmed BBC coverage but did not state when the BBC programme begins; 14:00 is the TNT coverage start, not necessarily the BBC start time.
How to watch in the UK: BBC or TNT Sports?
BBC Two is the free-to-air television option and BBC iPlayer provides the BBC’s official online viewing route within the UK. Neither requires a separate TNT sports subscription for these two matches. However, a valid UK TV Licence is required to watch live television or use BBC iPlayer, as UK government guidance explains. This is not access without licensing requirements or associated cost.
TNT Sports provides the pay-TV sports alternative. On HBO Max, live TNT coverage requires a plan that includes TNT Sports; a regular entertainment-only subscription should not be assumed to include the matches. Terms and prices depend on the UK package chosen.
Which six other selected games are on TNT and HBO Max only?
The FA’s live broadcast list published on 22 October did not announce BBC coverage for the other six ties. All six are scheduled for TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max. That absence from the announced BBC selection is not a prediction about future schedule changes.
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off (GMT) | TNT channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06/11 | Oxford City v Leicester City | 19:45 | TNT Sports 1 |
| 07/11 | Peterborough United v Reading | 20:00 | TNT Sports 1 |
| 08/11 | Stafford Rangers v Grimsby Town | 12:00 | TNT Sports 1 |
| 08/11 | Wimborne Town v Crawley Town | 15:00 | TNT Sports 1 |
| 08/11 | Oldham Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday | 17:15 | TNT Sports 1 |
| 09/11 | Plymouth Parkway v Berkhamsted | 19:30 | TNT Sports 1 |
Territory, time zone and final schedule checks
This guide covers the United Kingdom only. On 7 and 8 November, the local UK time zone is GMT. These announcements do not establish availability in Brazil, Portugal or any other territory, where broadcast rights and platform catalogues may differ.
The fixtures remain scheduled for future dates. Since channels, kick-off times and programme start times can change, check the latest broadcaster listings before watching. Information was verified on 24 October 2026, against the FA’s 22 October announcement and the specific schedules consulted.
Sources and references
- The FA, official eight-game selection and two BBC fixtures (22 October 2026)
- Altrincham FC, match and broadcaster start-time confirmation (22 October 2026)
- TNT Sports, eight-game schedule and HBO Max access information
- GOV.UK, TV Licence rules for live TV and BBC iPlayer
- The Non-League Football Paper, independent broadcast schedule report (23 October 2026)
