FA Cup bigger than ever on the BBC in 2015-16

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FA Cup
Image caption,

Dan Walker, Trevor Sinclair and Jermaine Jenas will present coverage of one of the key fixtures from the FA Cup first round

The BBC's FA Cup coverage is starting earlier than ever this weekend - and we want fans to be right at the heart of the action.

The BBC Sport website and app will have a rolling live page including goals, updates and the best of social media from all of the 30 matches in the fourth and final qualifying round, starting at 12.30pm on Saturday.

Fans can get involved in the coverage by sharing their match-day pictures from around the grounds on social media using #MobileMOTD.

On Sunday, fans will get a behind-the-scenes look at the Altrincham v Chester match in our new feature, Mobile Match of the Day.

Filmed using only a mobile phone and presented by Radio 1Xtra's Nick Bright, Mobile Match of the Day will give a unique insight into the dressing rooms, the match action and the fans' stories.

The Emirates FA Cup first-round draw takes place on Monday, 26 October and is live on BBC Two, 5 live Sport and on the BBC Sport website at 19:00 GMT.

The BBC will then bring you all the best live action, highlights and analysis all the way to Wembley.

Follow the FA Cup on the BBC

First round draw on 26 October live on BBC Two

Live coverage of a first-round tie on 6 November on BBC Two

Every first-round goal available to watch on the BBC Sport website

Extensive fourth-round qualifying round coverage this Saturday on BBC TV, radio and online

Just like last season, the FA Cup draw will travel around the country, with Monday's first-round draw taking place live from Thackley Juniors Football Club in Bradford.

The first-round action kicks off on Friday, 6 November with live coverage from one of the most anticipated ties on BBC Two at 19:30 GMT, presented by Dan Walker along with Trevor Sinclair and Jermaine Jenas.

On Saturday, 7 November Football Focus will be live from 12:10 GMT at one of the day's big fixtures, with FA Cup Final Score showing all the key action as it happens from eight selected matches on Sunday, 8 November.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Arsenal beat Aston Villa in the final to win the FA Cup last season

Every goal from every match will be available on the BBC Sport website and app as part of the BBC's extensive digital coverage, providing fans with action as early as 17:15 GMT on the Saturday.

Finally, there will also be a comprehensive 90-minute highlights show on BBC Two on the Sunday at 18:30 GMT.

You can find out which non-league teams will be involved in the first round by following the action from Saturday's fourth qualifying round games via updates on BBC One's Final Score, as well as coverage on our Match of the Day live page, showcasing the best of all the action on the BBC Sport website and smartphone app.

And there will be BBC local radio online commentaries for many of this weekend's ties.

The Match of the Day live page will provide a live scores service featuring fans' pictures from the games across the country, and the BBC Sport and Match of the Day social media accounts will engage in audience debate and discussion as lower league clubs strive to make it into the first round proper.

FA Cup 2015-16 key dates

FA Cup first round weekend:

6-9 November 2015

FA Cup third round weekend:

8-11 January 2016

FA Cup final:

21 May 2016

Mark Cole, lead executive for BBC football, said: "It is going to be another exciting year of FA Cup coverage across the BBC and we're delighted to give extra prominence to the fourth qualifying round of the competition to start things off.

"Over 36 million watched our coverage last season, nine million more than the previous season, which shows the competition is in rude health and we look forward to another year of comprehensive coverage across the BBC."

BBC Sport has a four-year FA Cup rights contract running until 2018 in partnership with BT Sport.

Follow the fourth qualifying round on the BBC

There is a crucial weekend of action for clubs competing in the FA Cup this weekend - with victorious sides through to the first round proper.

We will have a live text pulling together some of the crucial action on Saturday - and there are also numerous commentaries from local BBC stations.

Commentaries

AFC Fylde v Barrow - Radio Cumbria

Aldershot v Sutton United - Radio Surrey

Basingstoke v Torquay - Radio Devon

Brackley v Bamber Bridge - Radio Oxford (online)

Braintree v Harlow - BBC Essex (online)

Bromley v Eastleigh - Radio Solent (online)

Didcot v Brentwood - Radio Oxford (online)

Gateshead v Worcester City - BBC Hereford and Worcester

Halifax v Guiseley - Radio Leeds

Harrogate Town v Grimsby - Radio Humberside

Harrogate Town v Grimsby - Radio York

Havant & Waterlooville v Cheltenham Town - Radio Gloucestershire

Havant & Waterlooville v Cheltenham Town - Radio Solent

Maidenhead v Woking - Radio Surrey

Margate v Forest Green Rovers - Radio Gloucestershire (online)

Staines v Gloucester City - Radio Gloucestershire

Stourbridge v Kidderminster Harriers - BBC Hereford and Worcester,

Tranmere Rovers v Lincoln City - Radio Lincolnshire

Tranmere v Lincoln - Radio Merseyside

Wrexham v Gainsborough Trinity - Radio Lincolnshire (online)

Updates

Radio WM are reporting on Sporting Khalsa v FC Utd of Manchester and Stourbridge v Kidderminster Harriers

Radio Merseyside are reporting on Altrincham v Chester and Salford v Southport

BBC Wiltshire are reporting on Chippenham Town v Maidstone

Radio Humberside are reporting on Stalybridge Celtic v North Ferriby

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