Oxford City vs Leicester preview: Hoops eye FA Cup shock against former winners

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Oxford City have the chance to claim a famous FA Cup scalp when Leicester City visit the MGroup Stadium on Friday 6 November, with the former winners entering at the first-round stage for the first time since 2008.

Kick-off is 7.45pm GMT, with live coverage on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max. Sixth-tier Oxford are three divisions below Russell Martin’s visitors, but their home form gives the National League North side reason to approach the tie with ambition.

Leicester won the trophy in 2021. Five years later, their task is to negotiate a very different opening assignment against opponents who have already won three qualifying ties.

Oxford City vs Leicester: kick-off time and TV coverage

Match detail	Information
Date	Friday 6 November 2026
Kick-off	7.45pm GMT
Venue	MGroup Stadium, Oxford
Competition	FA Cup first round
UK TV	TNT Sports 1
Live stream	HBO Max with the relevant sports subscription
Coverage starts	7pm GMT

The FA has confirmed the broadcast details. The hosts are Oxford City, who play at Marsh Lane, rather than Oxford United.

Oxford’s home form offers hope of an upset

Ross Jenkins’ side are second in National League North. They lost 3-1 to South Shields last time out, ending an eight-match unbeaten run, but have been beaten only once in their past five home matches.

Oxford scored 15 goals across those five home games. Their route into the first round brought a 2-0 win over Dorchester Town, a 6-1 victory against Enfield Town and a 1-0 success at Torquay, where Scott Pollock scored the decisive goal.

The club’s official match preview also highlights goalkeeper Jonny Maxted’s nine clean sheets across all competitions. Oxford will need that defensive discipline against Leicester, but their recent scoring record suggests they have more to offer than simply trying to survive.

Leicester return to the first round after back-to-back relegations

Leicester arrive following a 2-2 draw with Stevenage and sit 10th in League One. Martin’s side have won three of their past five league matches, giving them some momentum as attention switches to the cup.

Back-to-back relegations have changed the scale of the club’s immediate ambitions. Promotion remains a league objective, but an early cup exit against sixth-tier opposition would be a damaging result.

Midfielder Louis Page has warned against treating the trip as routine. “They’re a physical side and they will give it everything,” he told the FA. “I think we just have to give the same”.

The importance of matching Oxford’s work rate is clear. Leicester’s greater individual quality will count for less if they allow the hosts to dictate the intensity and turn the evening into a contest for second balls.

Oxford City vs Leicester team news

Tyrone Marsh is a key attacking threat for Oxford, with nine goals in all competitions this season. Pollock has contributed six goals and two assists in 13 appearances, according to the latest team-news preview.

For Leicester, Ben Nelson and goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk are reported unavailable through injury. Rotation is expected, with Conor Chaplin among the options to come into the side.

Teenage defender Ilari Kangasniemi could also be involved, while Admir Bristrić offers an alternative in attack. Those are selection possibilities rather than confirmed changes; the starting teams will be announced before kick-off.

Where the FA Cup tie could be decided

Oxford’s best route to an upset is to keep Leicester’s attacking players away from dangerous central areas, then give Marsh support quickly when possession changes hands. Pollock’s ability to contribute goals from midfield makes him another player Leicester must track.

For the visitors, an early goal would help settle a potentially awkward evening. If Martin rotates, Leicester need the incoming players to establish control quickly rather than give Oxford time to build belief.

Chaplin’s movement could be particularly useful against a compact defence. Oxford must avoid being drawn towards the ball and leaving space for runners behind their midfield.

Dave.sport prediction: Oxford City 1-2 Leicester City

Leicester’s quality makes them favourites, but Oxford’s recent home performances suggest this could be more competitive than the gap between the divisions implies.

Our prediction is a narrow away win, with Oxford creating enough danger to make Leicester work for a place in the second round.

Follow the rest of the competition through our FA Cup coverage and the latest football news.

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