The stage is set for one of the most exciting moments in the English football calendar as the draw for the FA Cup third round approaches. This is the point where the giants of the Premier League and Championship enter the historic competition, offering the potential for dream ties and major upsets for the remaining lower-league clubs.
When and How to Watch the Draw
The draw for the third round proper of the FA Cup is scheduled for Monday, December 8. It will begin at approximately 6.40pm UK time.
The ceremony will be conducted by former England internationals Peter Crouch and Joe Cole. It is set to take place just before the kick-off of the final second-round tie between Brackley Town and Burton Albion.
Fans can watch the draw live on TNT Sports 1 or stream it via the discovery+ app. For those without a subscription, a free live stream will be available on the TNT Sports YouTube channel.
What the Third Round Means
This round marks the entry of all 44 clubs from the Premier League and Championship, who join the 20 winners from the second round to make a total of 64 teams. The magic of the cup is already guaranteed, with at least two clubs from the sixth tier of English football assured of their place after this weekend's all-non-league clashes.
Matches like Slough Town versus Macclesfield on Sunday highlight the drama before the big names even enter. Clubs such as Boreham Wood, Gateshead, and Carlisle United also harbour hopes of causing an upset to secure a potentially lucrative third-round fixture.
For many smaller clubs, being drawn against a global giant like Arsenal, Liverpool, or Manchester United can be transformative, offering a significant financial boost and a day to remember for their supporters.
Full List of Ball Numbers for the Draw
The draw will use the following ball numbers to determine the fixtures. The third round matches are scheduled to be played over the weekend beginning Saturday, January 10.
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
47. Shrewsbury Town
48. Swindon Town
49. Weston Super Mare
50. Barnsley
51. Boreham Wood or Newport County
52. Milton Keynes Dons
53. Wigan Athletic
54. Fleetwood Town
55. Salford City
56. Mansfield Town
57. Cambridge United
58. Brackley Town or Burton Albion
59. Blackpool or Carlisle United
60. Gateshead or Walsall
61. Exeter City
62. Cheltenham Town
63. Doncaster Rovers
64. Port Vale
