​Newly promoted Worthing are set to travel to Carlisle United for their first-ever National League fixture on the opening weekend of the season, Saturday 8 August. The Rebels will play at the fifth level for the first time in the 2026-27 campaign after clinching the National League South title last season. It will mark Carlisle United’s second consecutive season in this division since dropping from League Two, and they have appointed former Gateshead boss Rob Elliot to take over as head coach, replacing Mark Hughes.
In other league news, National League South play-off winners Hornchurch, also entering the fifth tier for the first time, will host National League North play-off victors Kidderminster Harriers. Boreham Wood, who finished as play-off runners-up, welcome Tamworth, while Robbie Savage’s Forest Green Rovers begin with a home match against Halifax Town. Harrogate Town and Barrow—each relegated from League Two after six years in the EFL—will face Solihull Moors and Hartlepool United respectively.
National League North champions AFC Fylde will host Wealdstone. The regular season concludes on Saturday 24 April, with teams finishing between second and seventh place entering the play-offs. The winner of the play-off final at Wembley on the weekend of 8 May will secure the second promotion spot to the Football League. All of the first two rounds of fixtures will be streamed on DAZN, with the standard 15:00 TV blackout not applying on those weekends.
National League fixtures for the opening weekend on Saturday 8 August include: AFC Fylde versus Wealdstone; Altrincham versus Southend United; Boreham Wood versus Tamworth; Boston United versus Aldershot Town; Carlisle United versus Worthing; Eastleigh versus Gateshead; Forest Green Rovers versus FC Halifax Town; Harrogate Town versus Solihull Moors; Hartlepool United versus Barrow; Hornchurch versus Kidderminster Harriers; Scunthorpe United versus Yeovil Town; and Woking versus Sutton United. All matches are scheduled to kick off at 15:00 BST.
The following weekend, Saturday 15 August, fixtures include Aldershot Town hosting Hartlepool United; Barrow against Hornchurch; FC Halifax Town versus Boreham Wood; Gateshead versus Woking; Kidderminster Harriers at Eastleigh; Solihull Moors versus Boston United; Southend United versus Scunthorpe United; Sutton United versus Altrincham; Tamworth against AFC Fylde; Wealdstone versus Harrogate Town; Worthing versus Forest Green Rovers; and Yeovil Town hosting Carlisle United. All games are listed for a 15:00 BST kick-off.
Looking ahead to 24 April 2027, the schedule features Aldershot Town versus AFC Fylde; Barrow versus Woking; FC Halifax Town versus Eastleigh; Gateshead versus Boreham Wood; Kidderminster Harriers versus Boston United; Solihull Moors versus Hornchurch; Southend United versus Hartlepool United; Sutton United versus Carlisle United; Tamworth versus Forest Green Rovers; Wealdstone versus Scunthorpe United; Worthing versus Altrincham; and Yeovil Town versus Harrogate Town. These matches are set to begin at 12:30 BST.
Daryl McMahon, pictured front left, led Hornchurch to promotion to the National League for the first time in their history last season. This period marks a significant milestone in the club’s 145-year history and signals a new chapter as they compete at the next level.