| Tournament details | |
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| Country | England Scotland Wales |
The2001–02 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the121st season of competition inEngland for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' (FA Cup), the world's oldestassociation football singleknockout competition. A total of 596 clubs were accepted for the competition, down six from the previous season’s 602.
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.Somerset Senior League andSouth Western Football League were the only level 10 leagues represented in the Cup, three clubs from the leagues were the lowest-ranked clubs in competition. The 32 winning teams from fourth round Qualifying 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra preliminary round | 17 August 2001 | Levels 8-10 | 24 | none | 12 |
| Preliminary round | 31 August 2001 | Level 7 | 390 | 12 | 201 |
| First qualifying round | 14 September 2001 | none | 1 | 201 | 101 |
| Second qualifying round | 28 September 2001 | Isthmian League Northern Premier League Southern Football League (Premier divisions) | 67 | 101 | 84 |
| Third qualifying round | 12 October 2001 | none | none | 84 | 42 |
| Fourth qualifying round | 26 October 2001 | Football Conference | 22 | 42 | 32 |
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 17 August 2001. 24 clubs fromLevel 8 and Level 9 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition, while other 303 clubs from levels 8-10 get a bye to the next rounds.
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Matches played on weekend of Saturday 1 September 2001. A total of 402 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 12 winners from the extra preliminary round, 302 clubs from Levels 8-10, who get a bye in the extra preliminary round and 88 entering at this stage from the four divisions at Level 7 of English football. The round featured three clubs from Level 10:Falmouth Town andSt Blazey from theSouth Western Football League andClevedon United from theSomerset Senior League, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
Matches on weekend of 15 September 2001. A total of 202 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, 201 progressed from the preliminary round plusAFC Sudbury from theEastern Counties Football League, who get a bye to this stage.Falmouth Town andSt Blazey from theSouth Western Football League atLevel 10 of English football were the lowest-ranked clubs to qualify for this round of the competition.
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Matches played on weekend of 29 September 2001. A total of 168 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 101 winners from the first qualifying round and 67Level 6 clubs, from Premier divisions of theIsthmian League,Northern Premier League andSouthern Football League, entering at this stage. The round featuredSt Blazey andFalmouth Town from theSouth Western Football League, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round. Also, eight clubs from Level 9 divisions were still in the competition.
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Matches on weekend of 13 October 2001. A total of 84 clubs took part, all having progressed from the second qualifying round.St Blazey from theSouth Western Football League atLevel 10 of English football was the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
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Matches played on weekend of Saturday 27 October 2001. A total of 64 clubs took part, 42 having progressed from the third qualifying round and 22 clubs fromFootball Conference, formingLevel 5 of English football, entering at this stage. The round featured four clubs from Level 8 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
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See2001–02 FA Cup for details of the rounds from the first round proper onwards.