Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), is a major transboundary migratory pest native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas which displays characteristics of wide host range, strong reproductive capacity, fast dispersal speed by migration, serious damage and difficult-to-control. S. frugiperda was reported to invade Yunan, China in January 2019, and then rapidly colonized and spread in southwest China and other regions. In mid-May, S. frugiperda further migrate and spread to Yangtze River and Yangtze-Huaihe River valley. It is predicted that S. frugiperda could reach the Huang-Huai- Hai Summer Corn Region and the North Spring Corn Region, threating the safety of corn production in China. This review summarized the biological characteristics, outbreak reasons of S. frugiperda in Africa and Asian, spread trends and control measures. We also proposed coping strategies to provide references to control the spread and damage of S. frugiperda in China.