06/08/2026
We look at a few of The Emirates FA Cup stats ahead of the game between Didcot Town and Binfield this weekend.
Despite both clubs being formed over a century ago—Binfield in 1892 and Didcot in 1907—this will be the first meeting in the competition between the two teams.
Binfield's best FA Cup run came during the 2022/23 season, when they reached the Third Qualifying Round before losing 5-3 at Beckenham Town.
Binfield FC have progressed past the extra preliminary rounds in each of the past four seasons, scoring 12 goals in the process.
Last season, Binfield enjoyed a 4-1 win against Winslow United in the extra preliminary round, with Ethan Lindo starring for Binfield by scoring a hat-trick. They went out in the Preliminary Round, losing 2-1 at Marlow.
Didcot's best run in the competition came during the 2015/16 season, when they made it through to the First Round Proper. The Railwaymen lost 3-0 at the Loop to League Two side Exeter City in a game played in front of a national audience on BT Sport.
The Railwaymen have an impressive record in the extra preliminary round. In 36 previous entries at this stage, Didcot have progressed every time, and only Cambridge City have a better record in non-league football.
Last season, Didcot beat Milton United 6-0 in the Extra Preliminary Round. The result is the biggest win in the competition for the club. Tyger Hall (2), Ewan Lynch (2), Cam Mills, and JP Nyuysemo scored the goals.
Didcot then beat Reading City 2-1 in the Preliminary Round thanks to goals from Owen James and Luke Carnell. Didcot went out in the First Qualifying Round following a 2-1 defeat at Poole Town in a replay after a 1-1 draw at the Loop, with JP Nyuysemo scoring in both games for Didcot.
Didcot Town v Binfield is one of 218 ties in the Extra Preliminary Round this weekend, with 743 teams competing in the competition this season.
Teams entering at the Extra Preliminary Round will have to progress through six rounds to reach the First Round Proper.
There are fourteen rounds in the competition, from the Extra Preliminary Round at the beginning of August to the final in May.
Manchester City won the competition last season for the eighth time in their history when they defeated Chelsea in the final.
The most recent first-time winners were Crystal Palace, who became the 45th team to win the FA Cup in 2025.
Arsenal have won the competition a record fourteen times, the last of which came in 2020.
The last time a team from outside the top flight won the FA Cup was in 1980, when Second Division West Ham United beat Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley, thanks to a Trevor Brooking goal.
The last time a team from outside the top flight reached the final was in 2008, when Cardiff City—the only Welsh team ever to lift the trophy (in 1927)—lost to Portsmouth.
I would like to thank FA Cup Factfile for some of these stats.
