FA Cup giant-killings

Has a non-league club ever beaten a top-flight club in the FA Cup?

Yes, ten times since 1921/22: Corinthian against Blackburn in 1924, Colchester United against Huddersfield in 1948, Yeovil against Sunderland in 1949, Hereford United against Newcastle in 1972, Wimbledon against Burnley in 1975, Altrincham against Birmingham in 1986, Sutton United against Coventry City in 1989, Luton Town against Norwich in 2013, Lincoln City against Burnley in 2017 and Macclesfield against Crystal Palace in 2026. The latest was Macclesfield 2–1 Crystal Palace in the third round of 2025/26, on January 10, 2026.

January 10, 2026Macclesfield2–1Crystal Palace3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

February 18, 2017Burnley0–1Lincoln City5th roundNon-league beat top flight

January 26, 2013Norwich0–1Luton Town4th roundNon-league beat top flight

January 7, 1989Sutton United2–1Coventry City3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

January 14, 1986Birmingham1–2Altrincham3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

January 4, 1975Burnley0–1Wimbledon3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

February 5, 1972Hereford United2–1Newcastle3rd round replayNon-league beat top flight

January 29, 1949Yeovil2–1Sunderland4th roundNon-league beat top flight

January 10, 1948Colchester United1–0Huddersfield3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

January 12, 1924

COR

Corinthian1–0Blackburn1st roundNon-league beat top flight

Giant-killings in 2026/27

This season's wins by clubs two or more levels below their opponents, in both cups, newest first:

October 27, 2026Fleetwood Town1–1ArsenalLeague Cup · 4th round · 5–3 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

September 16, 2026Fleetwood Town1–0Sheffield UtdLeague Cup · 3rd roundFourth tier beat second tier

August 6, 2026Bristol City0–1WalsallLeague Cup · 1st roundFourth tier beat second tier

When did a non-league club last beat a league club in the FA Cup?

Macclesfield 2–1 Crystal Palace, in the third round of 2025/26 on January 10, 2026; before that Reading 2–3 Carlisle United (November 1, 2025) and AFC Wimbledon 0–2 Gateshead (November 1, 2025). Non-league clubs have beaten league clubs 334 times since 1921/22.

The latest non-league wins over league clubs, newest first:

January 10, 2026Macclesfield2–1Crystal Palace3rd roundNon-league beat top flight

November 1, 2025Reading2–3Carlisle United1st round · aetNon-league beat third tier

November 1, 2025AFC Wimbledon0–2Gateshead1st roundNon-league beat third tier

December 1, 2024Burton Albion1–1Tamworth2nd round · aet · 3–4 on pensNon-league beat third tier

November 2, 2024Northampton Town1–2Kettering Town

KT

1st round · aetNon-league beat third tier

November 1, 2024Tamworth1–0Huddersfield1st roundNon-league beat third tier

January 27, 2024Ipswich Town1–2Maidstone United4th roundNon-league beat second tier

January 6, 2024Maidstone United1–0Stevenage3rd roundNon-league beat third tier

December 3, 2023Eastleigh2–1Reading2nd roundNon-league beat third tier

December 3, 2023Chesterfield1–0Leyton Orient2nd roundNon-league beat third tier

November 5, 2023Chesterfield1–0Portsmouth1st roundNon-league beat third tier

January 7, 2023Coventry City3–4Wrexham3rd roundNon-league beat second tier

November 27, 2022Bristol Rovers0–2Boreham Wood2nd roundNon-league beat third tier

November 5, 2022Chippenham Town1–0Lincoln City1st roundNon-league beat third tier

November 5, 2022Cheltenham1–2Alvechurch1st roundNon-league beat third tier

February 6, 2022Bournemouth0–1Boreham Wood4th roundNon-league beat second tier

January 8, 2022Kidderminster Harriers2–1Reading3rd roundNon-league beat second tier

January 8, 2022Boreham Wood2–0AFC Wimbledon3rd roundNon-league beat third tier

November 17, 2021Stockport County5–3Bolton1st round replay · aetNon-league beat third tier

January 9, 2021

CHO

Chorley2–0Derby County3rd roundNon-league beat second tier

How often have fourth-tier clubs beaten top-flight clubs in the cups?

28 times in the FA Cup and 58 times in the League Cup since 1921/22, most recently Fleetwood Town 1–1 Arsenal, won on penalties, in the League Cup (October 27, 2026). Third-tier clubs have beaten top-flight clubs 148 times in the FA Cup and 147 in the League Cup.

In the FA Cup, newest first:

March 1, 2023Southampton1–2Grimsby Town5th roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 8, 2023Aston Villa1–2Stevenage3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 10, 2021Crawley Town3–0Leeds United3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 6, 2019Newport County2–1Leicester City3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 6, 2019Fulham1–2Oldham3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 6, 2018Coventry City2–1Stoke3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 10, 2016Oxford United3–2Swansea3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 7, 2012Swindon Town2–1Wigan Athletic3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 8, 2011Stevenage3–1Newcastle3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

February 2, 2010Wigan Athletic0–2Notts County4th round replayFourth tier beat top flight

January 8, 2006Fulham1–2Leyton Orient3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 4, 2003Shrewsbury Town2–1Everton3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 6, 2002Derby County1–3Bristol Rovers3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 13, 1999Swansea1–0West Ham3rd round replayFourth tier beat top flight

January 4, 1992Wrexham2–1Arsenal3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 30, 1990Cambridge United1–0Millwall4th round replayFourth tier beat top flight

January 7, 1989Middlesbrough1–2Grimsby Town3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 10, 1987Aldershot3–0Oxford United3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 5, 1980Halifax Town1–0Man City3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

February 23, 1976Norwich1–2Bradford City5th roundFourth tier beat top flight

February 13, 1971Colchester United3–2Leeds United5th roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 24, 1970Sheffield Wed1–2Scunthorpe United4th roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 11, 1965Millwall2–0Fulham3rd round replayFourth tier beat top flight

February 15, 1964Oxford United3–1Blackburn5th roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 8, 1964Aldershot2–1Aston Villa3rd round replayFourth tier beat top flight

January 4, 1964Newport County3–2Sheffield Wed3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 7, 1961Chelsea1–2Crewe Alexandra3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 9, 1960Watford2–1Birmingham3rd roundFourth tier beat top flight

In the League Cup, the latest 20 of 58:

October 27, 2026Fleetwood Town1–1Arsenal4th round · 5–3 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

August 27, 2025Grimsby Town2–2Man United2nd round · 12–11 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

August 28, 2024AFC Wimbledon2–2Ipswich Town2nd round · 4–2 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

November 8, 2022Brentford1–1Gillingham3rd round · 5–6 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

August 23, 2022Crawley Town2–0Fulham2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

September 24, 2019Colchester United0–0Tottenham3rd round · 4–3 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

August 27, 2019Crystal Palace0–0Colchester United2nd round · 4–5 on pensFourth tier beat top flight

August 27, 2019Crawley Town1–0Norwich2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

August 24, 2016Accrington Stanley1–0Burnley2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

August 27, 2014Burton Albion1–0QPR2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

August 26, 2014Leicester City0–1Shrewsbury Town2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

January 8, 2013Bradford City3–1Aston VillaSemi-final, 1st legFourth tier beat top flight

August 23, 2011Shrewsbury Town3–1Swansea2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

December 19, 2006Charlton0–1Wycombe WanderersQuarter-finalFourth tier beat top flight

September 20, 2006Middlesbrough0–1Notts County2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

September 20, 2006Fulham1–2Wycombe Wanderers2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

September 20, 2005Grimsby Town1–0Tottenham2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

October 2, 2002Bolton0–1Bury2nd roundFourth tier beat top flight

September 16, 1998Sheffield Wed0–1Cambridge United2nd round, 1st legFourth tier beat top flight

September 16, 1997Hull City1–0Crystal Palace2nd round, 1st legFourth tier beat top flight

How the giant-killings are counted

A giant-killing here is a win by a club at least two levels below its opponent that season: the top flight, the second, third and fourth tiers, then non-league, for every club outside the Football League. A tie won on penalties counts, the shoot-out noted beside it, and so does a replay won after a draw. The levels come from each club's division that season. The list starts in 1921/22, the first season the Football League had a Third Division in the north and the south; before it the Southern League's best clubs were a match for the top division, so beating a league club from outside it meant something else.

Every match is on the cups' own pages: FA Cup scorigami and League Cup scorigami, each with every score on one grid.