| Tournament details | |
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| Country | England Wales |
The2003–04 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the123rd season of competition inEngland for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' (FA Cup), the world's oldestassociation football singleknockout competition. A total of 644 clubs were accepted for the competition, up 20 from the previous season’s 624.
The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down (Levels 5 through 10) in theEnglish football pyramid meant that the competition started with six rounds of preliminary (2) and qualifying (4) knockouts for thesenon-League teams.South Western Football League was the only level 10 league represented in the Cup, four clubs from the South Western Football League were the lowest-ranked clubs in competition. The 32 winning teams from Fourth qualifying round progressed to theFirst round proper, whereLeague teams tiered at Levels 3 and 4 entered the competition.
| Round | Start date | Leagues entering at this round | New entries this round | Winners from previous round | Number of fixtures | Prize money |
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| Extra preliminary round | 23 August 2003 | Levels 8-10 | 130 | none | 65 | £500 |
| Preliminary round | 30 August 2003 | Level 7 | 331 | 65 | 198 | £1,000 |
| First qualifying round | 20 September 2003 | none | none | 198 | 99 | £2,250 |
| Second qualifying round | 27 September 2003 | Isthmian League Northern Premier League Southern Football League (Premier divisions) | 69 | 99 | 84 | £3,750 |
| Third qualifying round | 11 October 2003 | none | none | 84 | 42 | £5,000 |
| Fourth qualifying round | 25 October 2003 | Football Conference | 22 | 42 | 32 | £10,000 |
Matches played on Saturday/Sunday 23 to 24 August 2003. 130 clubs fromLevel 8, Level 9 and Level 10 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition, while other 217 clubs from levels 8-10 get a bye to the preliminary round.
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 30 August 2003. A total of 396 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 65 winners from the extra preliminary round, 217 clubs from Levels 8-10, who get a bye in the extra preliminary round and 114 entering at this stage from the five divisions atLevel 7 of English football. The round featured three clubs from Level 10 (all from theSouth Western Football League) still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
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Matches on weekend of Saturday 20 September 2003. A total of 198 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, all having progressed from the Preliminary round.St Blazey from theSouth Western Football League atLevel 10 of English football were the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
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Matches played on weekend of Saturday 27 September 2003. A total of 168 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 99 winners from the first qualifying round and 69Level 6 clubs, from Premier divisions of theIsthmian League,Northern Premier League andSouthern Football League, entering at this stage. The round featured eleven clubs from Level 9 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
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Matches played on weekend of Saturday 11 October 2003. A total of 84 clubs took part, all having progressed from the second qualifying round.Ashington,Gedling Town andShirebrook Town fromLevel 9 of English football were the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
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Matches played on weekend of Saturday 25 October 2003. A total of 64 clubs took part, 42 having progressed from the third qualifying round and 22 clubs fromConference Premier, formingLevel 5 of English football, entering at this stage. The round featured six clubs from Level 8 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
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See2003–04 FA Cup for details of the rounds from the first round proper onwards.