The 2022–23 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 142nd edition of the FA Cup, the world's oldest association football single knockout competition, organised by The Football Association, the governing body for the sport in England. 640 teams in the 5th to 10th tier of English football competed across six rounds for 32 spots in the First round proper.
Eligibility Applications to enter qualifying opened on 25 February 2022 and closed on 1 April 2022. The entry list, round exemptions and scheduling was confirmed on 1 July 2022. 640 teams from Level 5 to Level 9 of the English football league system (otherwise known as Steps 1 to 5 of the National League System) were eligible to compete.
In previous years Level 10 clubs were a prominent feature in the competition but since 2021–22 The FA has cut off their automatic eligibility. This was the result of the National League System being reformed to what the FA described as a "perfect 1–2–4–8–16 divisional model". A first phase was implemented in 2018/19 before a final stage saw over 100 clubs effectively promoted in 2021–22. This meant more teams now competed between Level 5 to 9 which consequently for the FA Cup saw Level 10 clubs dropped to a "subject to availability" basis instead. In the event that others do not enter, vacancies are filled by 10th tier applicants ranked by PPG in the previous league season.
For the 2022–23 edition, 11 vacancies were filled by 10th tier clubs; Abbey Hey, Andover New Street, Brixham, Folland Sports, Hinckley, Liskeard Athletic, New Mills, Newport (IOW), Radford, Warminster Town, and Wincanton Town.
Vacancies are created when eligible teams from Level 5 to 9 decide against entering or have their application rejected. For 2022–23, there were 11 such clubs: status Date did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 did not appear on the entry list. 1 July 2022 withdrew from the competition citing travel expenses and the use of replays. 6 July 2022
Staines Town (9) did not appear on the entry list either before the club resigned from their league altogether on 4 July 2022. Hilltop were awarded a late promotion to fulfill the vacancy created. A Level 10 club when entry was announced three days prior, Hilltop were also without a FA Cup place before they were then accepted as a replacement to Jersey.
Amongst the 640 clubs entered into qualifying, nine were debutants; Buckhurst Hill, Bury AFC, Darlaston Town, Golcar United, Hilltop, Midhurst & Easebourne, Roffey, Shefford Town & Campton, and Worcester Raiders.
Format The qualifying competition was a single-elimination tournament consisting of six rounds and 640 teams. 32 winners in the final round were awarded a place in the main competition beginning in November. Teams entered at different stages depending on their position in the English pyramid. All 9th and 10th tier teams began in the opening, Extra-Preliminary round and had to win six matches to qualify. All 8th tier teams were ranked on last season's PPG, except newly promoted teams automatically ranked towards the bottom and newly relegated teams ranked towards the top; Then the 95 lowest ranked teams entered at the Extra-Preliminary round and the 64 highest ranked teams entered at the preliminary round. Teams entering at the preliminary round had to win five matches to qualify. All 7th tier teams entered at the 1st qualifying round and had to win 4 matches to qualify. 6th tier teams entered at the 2nd qualifying round and had to win three matches to qualify. 5th tier teams entered at the final, 4th qualifying round and had to win one match to qualify.
Matches ending in a tie were replayed once and thereafter decided by extra time and penalties if the scores remained level. Ties were played on a geographical basis, starting with 10 regionalised pots in the Extra-Preliminary and preliminary rounds, and gradually reducing further into the draw. Whilst the division of the English football league system correlated closer to club density, the FA Cup grouped teams based more on travel distance. Therefore, pots could consist of an unequal number of teams. Round Main date Leagues entering this round New entries this round Winners from the previous round Number of fixtures Prize fund Losing club Winning club Extra preliminary round 6 August 2022 Level 8 (95 lowest ranked clubs)Level 9Level 10 (highest ranked clubs) 416 none 208 £375 £1,125 Preliminary round 20 August 2022 Level 8 64 208 136 £481 £1,444 First qualifying round 3 September 2022 Level 7 88 136 112 £750 £2,250 Second qualifying round 17 September 2022 National League NorthNational League South 48 112 80 £1,125 £3,375 Third qualifying round 1 October 2022 none 0 80 40 £1,875 £5,625 Fourth qualifying round 15 October 2022 National League 24 40 32 £3,125 £9,375
Extra preliminary round The extra preliminary and preliminary rounds were drawn on 8 July 2022. Teams were drawn into 10 regionalised groups loosely based on travel distance. More club-dense regions drew bigger pot sizes; One contained 86 teams loosely correlated to the Combined Counties North and South, the Southern Combination, and the Southern Counties East Level 9 Divisions. Regions with fewer clubs drew smaller pot sizes combining fewer divisions; One pot contained just 20 teams loosely correlating to the Western League Level 9 division.
416 teams entered at this round; 310 from Level 9 (plus ten Level 10 replacements) and the 95 lowest ranked clubs from Level 8 (plus a Level 10 replacement for Guernsey). A team at this stage must win six matches should it qualify as one of the 32 non-league clubs in the FA Cup proper; as many victories as it takes a Premier League or Championship side to win the whole competition.