Non-league previews: Sides begin their march towards Wembley in the FA Vase

Lye, back in the competition following their relegation to the Midland Premier, travel to Romulus in the first qualifying round tonight (7.45pm).

It is the first of nine ties they must win to reach the final of the national competition at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

The Flyers have won one and lost one of their two league matches so far, while their Vase hosts have suffered heavy back-to-back defeats to sink to the bottom of the fledgling standings.

Tomorrow (3pm), Dudley Town and AFC Wolverhampton City will be looking to take their perfect league starts into the Vase.

Dudley, who hold the early lead in the Midland Premier by the virtue of scoring one goal more than City, make the trip to North West Counties League Division One South outfit Wolverhampton Casuals.

The Robins have never been past the second round proper - making that stage as recently as 2023/24 - but their form and the one-division gap makes them the overwhelming favourites to progress past Cassies and move a step closer to Wembley.

City enter the competition for the first time since changing their name from AFC Wulfrunians in the summer, and will hope to rekindle AFC Wulfs' run to the fifth round in 2022/23.

They kick off this season's competition at home to Midland One high-flyers AFC Bridgnorth, who have won four and drawn two of their first six games in the league.

Elsewhere, Brocton host Studley in an all-Midland Premier tie, while Tividale face a tough trip to a Stafford Town side who lost in the North West Counties League Division One South play-off final last season and have made a good start to this campaign.

Cradley Town will hope to overcome their rotten start to the Midland One season by overcoming FC Stratford, while Smethwick Rangers host divisional rivals Chelmsley Town and Wednesfield have a tough trip to Midland Premier outfit Hanley Town.

North West Counties League Division One South strugglers Wolverhampton Sporting host Westfields and Bewdley Town travel to Ludlow Town in the hosts' first FA Vase tie for 18 years.

Eccleshall, Stone Old Alleyians, Stourport Swifts, Bilston Town, Birmingham OJM and Gornal Athletic all have a bye through to the second qualifying round of the Vase.

Eccleshall and Stone are not in action this weekend, while Stourport go searching for their first Midland Premier points of the campaign at home to Abbey Hulton United.

There are also Midland One clashes - Bilston Town visit AFC North Kilworth, Birmingham OJM host Heather St John's and table-topping Gornal Athletic welcome Sutton United.