The 2022–23 FA Trophy (known for sponsorship reasons as the
Isuzu FA Trophy) was the 54th season of the
FA Trophy, an annual
football competition for teams at levels 5–8 of the
English football league system.
Eligibility
Applications to enter the 54th edition of the FA Trophy opened on 25 February 2022 and closed 1 April 2022.[1]
Competition is open to the 320 clubs playing in Steps 1–4 of the
National League System, equivalent to tiers 5–8 of the overall
English football league system. All but
Guernsey F.C. (8) appeared on the list of clubs accepted on 1 July 2022.[2] This resulted in an odd number of teams remaining in the first round qualifying, so a bye was allocated to Leek Town.[3]
Format
The calendar was announced by
The Football Association on 1 July 2022.[4] The competition consists of three qualifying rounds and eight proper rounds.[5] Teams enter at different stages depending on their position in the
English pyramid.[5] 8th tier teams enter into the first qualifying round and must win 11 matches to become champions.[5] 7th tier teams enter into the third qualifying round and must win 9 matches to become champions.[5] 6th tier teams enter into the second round proper and must win 7 matches to become champions.[5] 5th tier teams enter into the third round proper and must win 6 matches to become champions.[5]
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.[5] This is the same format as the
2020–21 and
2021–22 season which broke from previous seasons that used replays and two-legged semi-finals.[a]
The draw for the first qualifying round was made on 8 July 2022.[3]
159 teams, all from Level 8 of the
English football league system, were drawn into 79 fixtures, with the leftover team,
Leek Town, receiving a bye.[3][5] Ties were originally scheduled for 9–11 September, but were postponed to 12–14 September as a mark of respect following the
death of Queen Elizabeth II.[8][9]
The draw for the second qualifying round was made on 8 July 2022, and saw the 79 winners from the first qualifying round joined by Leek Town who had received a bye.[69] All teams were from Level 8 of the
English football league system.[5]
The draw for the third qualifying round was made on 26 September 2022, and saw 88 clubs from tier 7 joining the 40 winners from the second qualifying round.[70]
The draw for the second round was made on 31 October 2022, with eighty teams making an appearance including 32 winners from the previous round and 48 teams newly entering from Level 6.[72]
The draw was made on 19 December 2022 containing the 32 winners from the previous round. There were six remaining teams from the seventh tier, the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition.[74]
The draw was made on 16 January 2023, containing the 16 winners from the previous round.
Bracknell Town of the seventh tier are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition.
The draw for the quarter-finals was made on 13 February 2023.[75] Eight winners from the previous round made an appearance.
Farsley Celtic of the sixth tier was the lowest-ranked club remaining.
^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.[6] All other previous editions played to the same format of replays and two-legged semi-finals.[7]
The 2022–23 FA Trophy (known for sponsorship reasons as the
Isuzu FA Trophy) was the 54th season of the
FA Trophy, an annual
football competition for teams at levels 5–8 of the
English football league system.
Eligibility
Applications to enter the 54th edition of the FA Trophy opened on 25 February 2022 and closed 1 April 2022.[1]
Competition is open to the 320 clubs playing in Steps 1–4 of the
National League System, equivalent to tiers 5–8 of the overall
English football league system. All but
Guernsey F.C. (8) appeared on the list of clubs accepted on 1 July 2022.[2] This resulted in an odd number of teams remaining in the first round qualifying, so a bye was allocated to Leek Town.[3]
Format
The calendar was announced by
The Football Association on 1 July 2022.[4] The competition consists of three qualifying rounds and eight proper rounds.[5] Teams enter at different stages depending on their position in the
English pyramid.[5] 8th tier teams enter into the first qualifying round and must win 11 matches to become champions.[5] 7th tier teams enter into the third qualifying round and must win 9 matches to become champions.[5] 6th tier teams enter into the second round proper and must win 7 matches to become champions.[5] 5th tier teams enter into the third round proper and must win 6 matches to become champions.[5]
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.[5] This is the same format as the
2020–21 and
2021–22 season which broke from previous seasons that used replays and two-legged semi-finals.[a]
The draw for the first qualifying round was made on 8 July 2022.[3]
159 teams, all from Level 8 of the
English football league system, were drawn into 79 fixtures, with the leftover team,
Leek Town, receiving a bye.[3][5] Ties were originally scheduled for 9–11 September, but were postponed to 12–14 September as a mark of respect following the
death of Queen Elizabeth II.[8][9]
The draw for the second qualifying round was made on 8 July 2022, and saw the 79 winners from the first qualifying round joined by Leek Town who had received a bye.[69] All teams were from Level 8 of the
English football league system.[5]
The draw for the third qualifying round was made on 26 September 2022, and saw 88 clubs from tier 7 joining the 40 winners from the second qualifying round.[70]
The draw for the second round was made on 31 October 2022, with eighty teams making an appearance including 32 winners from the previous round and 48 teams newly entering from Level 6.[72]
The draw was made on 19 December 2022 containing the 32 winners from the previous round. There were six remaining teams from the seventh tier, the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition.[74]
The draw was made on 16 January 2023, containing the 16 winners from the previous round.
Bracknell Town of the seventh tier are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition.
The draw for the quarter-finals was made on 13 February 2023.[75] Eight winners from the previous round made an appearance.
Farsley Celtic of the sixth tier was the lowest-ranked club remaining.
^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.[6] All other previous editions played to the same format of replays and two-legged semi-finals.[7]