Wigan Athletic will face Barnsley at home in the second round of the FA Cup. Of all the possibilities in the hat, it had to be a familiar League One opponent.
Death, taxes and Barnsley. The cup draw offered the chance of something different, but Latics have instead been handed a meeting with the Reds at the Brick Community Stadium. Forgive us if the excitement takes a little while to arrive.
We have already faced Barnsley in the first round of the Carabao Cup this season, and there are the usual two League One meetings as well. Add this FA Cup tie and that makes four games against the same opponents in one campaign. Death, taxes and Barnsley, indeed.
Monday evening’s draw paired Wigan with Barnsley, leaving Gary Caldwell’s side with a home tie to negotiate if they are to reach round three.
A draw that hardly sets the pulse racing
There is always that brief moment before your ball comes out when you start imagining a new ground, an unusual opponent or a proper cup occasion. Then the draw happens, and suddenly it feels rather like another league fixture has been added to the calendar.
That is the frustration here. Barnsley are a competitive opponent and this is no free pass into the next round, but it is difficult to dress the tie up as an especially thrilling reward. A bit of novelty would have been nice.
At least Latics are at home. There is no away journey to organise, and the chance to take another step in the competition will come on our own patch. Once the initial groan has passed, that is something to work with.
Boreham Wood win keeps the cup run alive
Wigan earned their place in the draw with Saturday’s 3–0 win at Boreham Wood. Jon Mellish opened the scoring before Morgan Fox struck twice, giving Caldwell’s men a convincing victory at Meadow Park.
Barnsley, meanwhile, reached round two with a 7–2 home win over Aldershot Town. Whatever our verdict on the draw’s entertainment value, they will arrive with ambitions of their own.
When will Wigan play Barnsley?
The second round is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday 5 December 2026, with ties taking place between Friday 4 December and Monday 7 December. The draw itself does not confirm Wigan’s exact match date, kick-off time or ticket arrangements.
For now, the task is straightforward: beat Barnsley and give ourselves another draw to get excited about. This one might have landed with a thud, but a place in round three would make it worthwhile.
Draw reaction: Latics.News. Draw image: TNT Sports / Emirates FA Cup. Round dates and first-round results checked against Wigan Athletic and Barnsley FC.