In this paper, we propose a low multiplier and multiplication complexities 256-point fast Fourier transform (FFT) architecture, especially for WiMAX 802.16a systems. Based on the radix-16 FFT algorithm, the proposed FFT architecture utilizes cascaded simplified radix-24 single-path delay feedback (SDF) structures. The control circuit of the proposed simplified radix-24 SDF FFT architecture is simple.The hardware requirement of the proposed FFT architecture only needs 1 complex multiplier and 56 complex adders for supporting 256-point computations.The computation complexity of multiplications and the hardware complexity of the proposed FFT architecture need less complexity than both complexities of the previous FFT structures in 256-point FFT applications. In hardware verifications, the output throughput rate of our FFT design processes up to 35.5M samples/sec with Xilinx Virtex2 1500 FPGA, and it processes up to 51.5M samples/sec with UIMC 0.18gm standard cell technology. The throughput rate of this implementation is suitable for WiMLAX 802.16a application, whose maximum sample rate is 32MHz.