2023–24 FA Trophy


The 2023–24 FA Trophy was the 55th edition of the FA Trophy, an annual football competition for teams at levels 5–8 of the English football league system.

Format and eligibility

Applications to enter the 55th edition of the FA Trophy needed to be submitted by 1 April 2023. Competing clubs had to compete between step 1 and step 4 of the non-League pyramid, equivalent to levels 5 to 8 of the overall English football league system. Furthermore, grounds had to conform to grade 4 of the FA National Ground Grading.
The calendar was announced by The Football Association on 1 July 2023. The competition consists of three qualifying rounds and eight proper rounds. Teams enter at different stages depending on their position in the English pyramid. Teams at level 8 enter into the first qualifying round and must win 11 matches to become champions. Level 7 teams enter into the third qualifying round and must win 9 matches to become champions. Level 6 teams enter into the second round proper and must win 7 matches to become champions. Level 5 teams enter into the third round proper and must win 6 matches to become champions.
All rounds are single-match knockout format, with the winner decided by penalties if the match was drawn after 90 minutes, apart from the [|Final] where the winner was decided by extra-time and penalties if the match is drawn. This is the same format as the 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons which broke from previous seasons that used replays and two-legged semi-finals. The 2019–20 season was scheduled to play two-legged semi-finals but due to their delay by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom were shifted to a single match. All other previous editions played to the same format of replays and two-legged semi-finals.
FC Halifax Town were the reigning champions for the 2023–24 season, having defeated Gateshead in the 2023 FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium.
RoundMain DateNumber of FixturesClubs RemainingNew Entries This RoundLosing ClubWinning Club
First round qualifying9 September 202380 '319 → 240159
'
£400£1,500
Second round qualifying23 September 202340240 → 200none£575£2,250
Third round qualifying7 October 202364200 → 13688£625£2,450
First round proper28 October 202332136 → 104none£775£3,000
Second round proper18 November 202340104 → 6448£1,000£3,750
Third round proper9 December 20233264 → 3224£1,250£4,500
Fourth round proper13 January 20241632 → 16none£1,500£5,250
Fifth round proper10 February 2024816 → 8none£1,750£6,000
Quarter-finals9 March 202448 → 4none£2,000£7,500
Semi-finals6 April 202424 → 2none£5,000£15,000
Final11 May 202412 → 1none£30,000£60,000

First round qualifying

The draw for the first qualifying round was made on 8 July 2023.
The first round of qualifying took place on the weekend of 8–10 September and involved 158 teams in 79 matches.
159 teams, all from Level 8 of the English football league system, were drawn into 79 fixtures, with the leftover team, Hinckley LR, receiving a bye.

Second round qualifying

The draw for the second qualifying round was also made on 8 July 2023.
This round consisted of the 79 winners from the previous round alongside Hinckley LR who received a bye in the previous round.

Third round qualifying

The draw for the third qualifying round was made on 25 September 2023. The 40 winners from the previous round were joined by 88 teams from the seventh level.
TieHome team ScoreAway team
31Hendon 3–1AFC Sudbury 160
32Westfield 3–1Leatherhead 231
33Leiston 1–1 Hornchurch 163
34Walton & Hersham 3–1Canvey Island 464
35Chesham United 4–3Enfield Town 523
36Bognor Regis Town 3–1Hayes & Yeading United 513
37Horsham 2–0Brightlingsea Regent 542
38Harrow Borough 1–0Margate 126
39Cheshunt 0–1Dulwich Hamlet 292
40Badshot Lea 0–0 Redbridge 171
41Beaconsfield Town 3–0Ashford United 85
43Needham Market 0–1Cray Wanderers 187
44Hanwell Town 1–2Bracknell Town 182
45Heybridge Swifts 1–2Chatham Town 220
46Lewes 4–1Lowestoft Town 578
47South Park Reigate 2–0Hashtag United 184
48Concord Rangers 2–3Hythe Town 129
49Wingate & Finchley 0–1Bury Town 128
50Ramsgate 4–1Sheppey United 520
51Hastings United 1–2Kingstonian 627
52Billericay Town 4–3Felixstowe & Walton United 527
53Whitehawk 2–0Ascot United 357
54Folkestone Invicta 2–2 Haringey Borough 361
55Didcot Town 1–2Cribbs 201
56Poole Town 3–1Sholing 407
57Basingstoke Town 3–0Kidlington 405
58Bishop's Cleeve 1–5Frome Town 101
59Swindon Supermarine 3–1Tiverton Town 211
60Larkhall Athletic 2–0Mousehole 175
61Gosport Borough 2–2 Salisbury 453
62Merthyr Town 3–1Dorchester Town 443
63AFC Totton 2–1Plymouth Parkway 376
64Winchester City 3–5Hungerford Town 275

[|First round proper]

The draw for the First round proper was made on 9 October 2023 consisting of the 64 winners from the previous round.

Second round proper

The draw for the second round was made on 30 October 2023, seeing the 48 teams from step two joining the 32 winners from the previous round.

Third round proper

The draw for the third round was made on 20 November 2023 and saw the 24 clubs from the National League join the 40 winners from the previous round.

Fourth round proper

The draw for the fourth round was made on 11 December 2023 containing the 32 winners from the previous round.
TieHome team ScoreAway team
9Kidderminster Harriers 0–0 Altrincham 1,651
10Macclesfield 5–0Dorking Wanderers 1,833
11Aveley 1–0AFC Fylde 319
12Oldham Athletic 1–2Hendon 2,819
13Chelmsford City 0–1Wealdstone 865
14Radcliffe 1–2Barnet 1,408
15Horsham 0–3Peterborough Sports 957
16Bromley 1–1 Chippenham Town 1,525

Fifth round proper

The draw for the fifth round was made on 15 January 2024.

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was made on 12 February 2024.

Semi-finals

The draw for the semi-finals was made on 11 March 2024.
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