FA Cup 2009-10

The FA Cup 2009–10 is the 129th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. As in the previous year, 762 clubs were accepted for the competition. One club, Newcastle Blue Star, folded before the fixtures were released. As they were scheduled to enter the competition in the First Round Qualifying, their opponents in this round received a walkover.

The competition commenced on 15 August 2009 with the Extra Preliminary Round and will conclude on 15 May 2010 with the Final, held at Wembley Stadium. The cup winners will qualify for the play-off round of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.

Chelsea are the defending champions.

Calendar
The calendar for the 2009–10 FA Cup, as announced by The Football Association:

Qualifying Rounds
All of the teams that will enter the competition, but are not members of the Premier League or The Football League, have to compete in the qualifying rounds.

First Round Proper
Teams from Leagues One and Two enter at this stage, along with the winners from the Fourth Round Qualifying. The draw was made on 25 October 2009 with ties played in the week beginning 6 November 2009.

Paulton Rovers of the Southern Football League Division One South & West (eighth tier) were the lowest ranked team left in the competition at this stage, but they failed to make it through to the second round, after suffering a heavy defeat at home to League One side Norwich City.

Second Round Proper
The draw for the Second Round Proper took place on 28 and 29 November 2009 and involved the 40 winning teams from the First Round Proper.

Bath City F.C. and Staines Town F.C. from the Conference South, and Northwich Victoria from the Conference North (6th Tier) were the lowest ranked teams left at this stage, but none made it through to the third round.

Third Round Proper
The draw for the Third Round took place on Sunday 29 November 2009 at Wembley Stadium. Premier League and Football League Championship teams enter at this stage, joining the winners from the Second Round and completing the entrants. The majority of fixtures took place from 2-3 January 2010, with snow postponing several matches until mid-January.

Barrow, Forest Green Rovers, Luton Town and York City from the Conference National (5th Tier) were the only non-league teams left at this stage, but none made it through to the fourth round.

† – After extra time

Fourth Round Proper
The draw for the Fourth Round took place on Sunday 3 January 2010 at Wembley Stadium. Fixtures will take place over the weekend of 23 and 24 January 2010.

Accrington Stanley and Notts County from the Football League Two (4th Tier) are the lowest ranked teams left at this stage.

Fifth Round Proper
The draw for the Fifth Round, conducted by Geoff Thomas and Stephanie Moore MBE, took place on Sunday 24 January 2010 at Wembley Stadium. Fixtures will take place over the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2010. Notts County from the Football League Two (4th Tier) is the lowest ranked team left at this stage.