Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (fall armyworm), is a major and destructive crop insect pest native to the Americas. It has invaded sub-Saharan Africa and India in recent years. It is a potential invasive insect pest to China. In this review, we summarized the biological characteristics and damage, distribution and invasion, morphological and molecular identification of S. frugiperda, as well as the control measures. We predicted potential invasion risk to China and proposed strategies to combat the potential invasion.