The 2002–03 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 122nd season of competition in England for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' (FA Cup), the world's oldest association football single knockout competition. A total of 624 clubs were accepted for the competition, up 28 from the previous season’s 596.
The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down (levels 5 through 10) in the English football pyramid meant that the competition started with six rounds of preliminary (2) and qualifying (4) knockouts for these non-League teams. South Western Football League was the only level 10 league represented in the Cup, three clubs from the South Western Football League were the lowest-ranked clubs in competition. The 32 winning teams from fourth round qualifying progressed to the First round proper, where League 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August 2002 | 90 | none | 45 | |||
| 31 August 2002 | 351 | 45 | 198 | |||
| 14 September 2002 | none | none | 198 | 99 | ||
| 28 September 2002 | Isthmian League Northern Premier League Southern Football League (Premier divisions) | 69 | 99 | 84 | ||
| 12 October 2002 | none | none | 84 | 42 | ||
| 26 October 2002 | 22 | 42 | 32 |
Matches played on Saturday 17 August 2002. 90 clubs from level 8 and level 9 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition, while other 237 clubs from levels 8–10 get a bye to the preliminary round.
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 31 August 2002. A total of 396 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 45 winners from the extra preliminary round, 237 clubs from levels 8–10, who get a bye in the extra preliminary round and 114 entering at this stage from the five divisions at level 7 of English football. The round featured three clubs from level 10 (all from the South Western Football League) in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round. Also, Gretna, who switched to the Scottish league system were excluded from the FA Cup.
Matches on weekend of Saturday 14 September 2002. A total of 198 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, all having progressed from the preliminary round. Falmouth Town and St Blazey from the South Western Football League at Level 10 of English football were the lowest-ranked clubs to qualify for this round of the competition.
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 28 September 2002. A total of 168 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 99 winners from the first qualifying round and 69 Level 6 clubs, from Premier divisions of the Isthmian League, Northern Premier League and Southern Football League, entering at this stage. The round featured St Blazey from the South Western Football League - the only level 10 league represented. Also, Great Harwood Town, Horden Colliery Welfare and Rossington Main from level 9 divisions were still in the competition.
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 12 October 2002. A total of 84 clubs took part, all having progressed from the second qualifying round. The round featured fourteen clubs from Level 8 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | |
| 1 | Billericay Town (6) | 4–0 | Braintree Town (6) | |
| 2 | Bradford Park Avenue (6) | 3–5 | Bridlington Town (8) | |
| 3 | Canvey Island (6) | 2–0 | Aveley (7) | |
| 4 | Durham City (8) | 1–1 | Blyth Spartans (6) | |
| Blyth Spartans (6) | 3–1 | Durham City (8) | ||
| 5 | Bishop's Stortford (6) | 1–0 | Eastbourne Borough (7) | |
| 6 | Bideford (8) | 3–1 | Gosport Borough (8) | |
| 7 | Guiseley (7) | 2–1 | Altrincham (6) | |
| 8 | Accrington Stanley (6) | 0–0 | Harrogate Town (6) | |
| Harrogate Town (6) | 3–2 | Accrington Stanley (6) | ||
| 9 | Havant & Waterlooville (6) | 4–0 | Evesham United (7) | |
| 10 | Grays Athletic (6) | 2–1 | Hayes (6) | |
| 11 | Hemel Hempstead Town (7) | 1–2 | Arlesey Town (7) | |
| 12 | Hastings United (6) | 2–1 | Hendon (6) | |
| 13 | Heybridge Swifts (6) | 1–0 | Herne Bay (8) | |
| 14 | Horsham (7) | 1–0 | Hungerford Town (8) | |
| 15 | Barrow (6) | 3–1 | Hyde United (6) | |
| 16 | Ilkeston Town (6) | 6–1 | King's Lynn (7) | |
| 17 | Boreham Wood (6) | 2–0 | Kingstonian (6) | |
| 18 | Leatherhead (7) | 1–2 | Ford United (6) | |
| 19 | Aldershot Town (6) | 2–0 | Lewes (7) | |
| 20 | Lymington & New Milton (8) | 0–2 | Crawley Town (6) | |
| 21 | Dunston Federation Brewery (8) | 0–1 | Marine (6) |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | |
| 22 | Molesey (7) | 3–1 | Chertsey Town (7) | |
| 23 | Moor Green (6) | 3–1 | Halesowen Town (6) | |
| 24 | Flackwell Heath (8) | 1–0 | Purfleet (6) | |
| 25 | Colwyn Bay (6) | 1–2 | Radcliffe Borough (7) | |
| 26 | Redditch United (7) | 0–1 | Arnold Town (8) | |
| 27 | Ashton United (6) | 0–3 | Runcorn Halton (6) | |
| 28 | Slough Town (7) | 4–2 | Hampton & Richmond Borough (6) | |
| 29 | Droylsden (6) | 0–0 | Spennymoor United (7) | |
| Spennymoor United (7) | 3–2 | Droylsden (6) | ||
| 30 | St Albans City (6) | 1–0 | Chelmsford City (6) | |
| 31 | Stafford Rangers (6) | 3–0 | Rothwell Town (7) | |
| 32 | Hinckley United (6) | 1–3 | Tamworth (6) | |
| 33 | Newport County (6) | 0–3 | Team Bath (8) | |
| 34 | Vauxhall Motors (6) | 6–1 | Gainsborough Trinity (6) | |
| 35 | AFC Sudbury (8) | 2–0 | Walton & Hersham (7) | |
| 36 | Dover Athletic (6) | 2–2 | Welling United (6) | |
| Welling United (6) | 1–3 | Dover Athletic (6) | ||
| 37 | Weston-super-Mare (7) | 0–5 | Bath City (6) | |
| 38 | Tiverton Town (6) | 4–2 | Weymouth (6) | |
| 39 | Wisbech Town (8) | 1–0 | Bedford Town (6) | |
| 40 | Hucknall Town (6) | 1–0 | Worcester City (6) | |
| 41 | Harrogate Railway Athletic (8) | 4–0 | Workington (7) | |
| 42 | Grantham Town (6) | 1–0 | Worksop Town (6) |
Matches played on weekend of Saturday 26 October 2002. A total of 64 clubs took part, 42 having progressed from the third qualifying round and 22 clubs from Conference Premier, forming Level 5 of English football, entering at this stage. The round featured eight clubs from Level 8 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | |
| 1 | Bishop's Stortford (6) | 1–1 | Boreham Wood (6) | |
| Boreham Wood (6) | 4–1 | Bishop's Stortford (6) | ||
| 2 | Aldershot Town (6) | 0–4 | Dagenham & Redbridge (5) | |
| 3 | Flackwell Heath (8) | 1–4 | Crawley Town (6) | |
| 4 | Forest Green Rovers (5) | 2–1 | Ford United (6) | |
| 5 | Burton Albion (5) | 2–1 | Halifax Town (5) | |
| 6 | Havant & Waterlooville (6) | 3–1 | Billericay Town (6) | |
| 7 | Hereford United (5) | 1–0 | Arlesey Town (7) | |
| 8 | Heybridge Swifts (6) | 2–0 | Bideford (8) | |
| 9 | Hastings United (6) | 0–0 | Kettering Town (5) | |
| Kettering Town (5) | 0–5 | Hastings United (6) | ||
| 10 | Gravesend & Northfleet (5) | 1–2 | Margate (5) | |
| 11 | Harrogate Railway Athletic (8) | 4–2 | Marine (6) | |
| 12 | Molesey (7) | 0–6 | Farnborough Town (5) | |
| 13 | Moor Green (6) | 2–1 | Leigh RMI (5) | |
| 14 | Morecambe (5) | 3–1 | Grantham Town (6) | |
| 15 | Nuneaton Borough (5) | 1–1 | Barrow (6) | |
| Barrow (6) | 4–3 | Nuneaton Borough (5) | ||
| 16 | Radcliffe Borough (7) | 2–4 | Chester City (5) | |
| 17 | Blyth Spartans (6) | 1–3 | Runcorn Halton (6) |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | |
| 18 | Arnold Town (8) | 0–2 | Scarborough (5) | |
| 19 | Slough Town (7) | 3–2 | Canvey Island (6) | |
| 20 | Southport (5) | 4–1 | Bridlington Town (8) | |
| 21 | Northwich Victoria (5) | 3–1 | Spennymoor United (7) | |
| 22 | AFC Sudbury (8) | 1–2 | St Albans City (6) | |
| 23 | Ilkeston Town (6) | 0–5 | Stafford Rangers (6) | |
| 24 | Grays Athletic (6) | 1–2 | Stevenage Borough (5) | |
| 25 | Guiseley (7) | 3–3 | Tamworth (6) | |
| Tamworth (6) | 2–3 | Guiseley (7) | ||
| 26 | Horsham (7) | 0–0 | Team Bath (8) | |
| Team Bath (8) | Horsham (7) | |||
| 27 | Telford United (5) | 0–2 | Doncaster Rovers (5) | |
| 28 | Barnet (5) | 0–2 | Tiverton Town (6) | |
| 29 | Hucknall Town (6) | 1–1 | Vauxhall Motors (6) | |
| Vauxhall Motors (6) | 5–1 | Hucknall Town (6) | ||
| 30 | Wisbech Town (8) | 0–2 | Harrogate Town (6) | |
| 31 | Dover Athletic (6) | 1–1 | Woking (5) | |
| Woking (5) | 1–2 | Dover Athletic (6) | ||
| 32 | Bath City (6) | 1–1 | Yeovil Town (5) | |
| Yeovil Town (5) | 3–1 | Bath City (6) |
See 2002–03 FA Cup for details of the rounds from the first round proper onwards.