The FA Trophy — A Complete Guide
The most prestigious knock-out cup competition in semi-professional football, open to clubs at Steps 1 to 4 of the National League System. The final is played at Wembley Stadium.
What Is the FA Trophy?
The FA Trophy was introduced in the 1969–70 season as a knock-out cup for semi-professional and non-league clubs outside the Football League. It replaced the former FA Amateur Cup at the higher end of the non-league pyramid, while the FA Vase later took over for clubs at lower levels.
The competition is open to clubs from the National League (Step 1), National League North and South (Step 2), and the Isthmian, Northern and Southern leagues (Steps 3 and 4).
FA Trophy Format & Rounds
The FA Trophy is a straight knock-out competition. Ties drawn after 90 minutes go to replays in the qualifying rounds, while matches from the First Round Proper onward are decided on the day with extra time and penalties. The semi-finals are played over two legs.
| Round | Timing | ~Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Round | September | ~80 |
| First Qualifying Round | October | ~64 |
| Second Qualifying Round | October | ~48 |
| Third Qualifying Round | November | ~32 |
| First Round Proper | December | 32 |
| Second Round Proper | January | 16 |
| Third Round Proper | February | 8 |
| Quarter-Finals | February | 8 |
| Semi-Finals (Two Legs) | March | 4 |
| Final at Wembley | May | 2 |
Who Can Enter the FA Trophy?
The FA Trophy is open to clubs at Steps 1 to 4 of the National League System:
- Step 1: National League (enter from Third Round Proper)
- Step 2: National League North and South (enter from First Round Proper)
- Step 3: Isthmian Premier, Northern Premier, Southern Premier (enter from qualifying rounds)
- Step 4: Isthmian Division One, Northern Division One, Southern Division One (enter from Preliminary Round)
Clubs at Step 5 and below compete in the FA Vase instead.
FA Trophy Prize Money
The FA Trophy offers substantial prize money at every stage, making it an important financial lifeline for semi-professional clubs.
The FA Trophy Final at Wembley
The FA Trophy Final is held at Wembley Stadium, usually on the same weekend as the FA Vase Final. For semi-professional players, walking out at Wembley is the highlight of their careers.
Notable FA Trophy Winners
- Woking — Won in 1994, 1995 and 1997, establishing themselves as a non-league powerhouse
- FC Halifax Town — Winners in 2016, part of their remarkable phoenix-club story
- Grimsby Town — Won the Trophy in 2022 before regaining Football League status
- Bromley — 2022 winners, later promoted to the Football League in 2024
- Scarborough Athletic — Won in 1973, 1976 and 1977 as the original Scarborough FC
FA Trophy vs FA Vase — What's the Difference?
| FA Trophy | FA Vase | |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible Clubs | Steps 1–4 | Step 5 and below |
| Entrants | ~250 clubs | ~600+ clubs |
| Winner's Prize | ~£50,000 | ~£30,000 |
| Founded | 1969 | 1974 |
| Final Venue | Wembley | Wembley |
How to Follow the FA Trophy
FA Trophy results, draws and fixtures are available in our Cups & Competitions section.