| Season: | 2002–03 |
| Winners: | Wolverhampton Wanderers (First Division) Cardiff City (Second Division) Bournemouth (Third Division) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Lincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe (Third Division) |
| Biggest Away Win: | Reading 0–1 Wolves (First Division) Scunthorpe 0–1 Lincoln (Third Division) |
| Highest Scoring: | Lincoln 5–3 Scunthorpe (8 goals) |
| Matches: | 15 |
| Total Goals: | 41 |
| Highest Attendance: | 69,473 – Sheffield United v Wolves (First Division final) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 5,782 – Bury v Bournemouth (Third Division semi-final) |
| Average Attendance: | 24,964 |
| Nextseason: | 2004 |
The Football League play-offs for the 2002–03 season were held in May 2003, with the finals taking place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The play-off semi-finals will be played over two legs and will be contested by the teams who finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place in the Football League First Division and Football League Second Division and the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th placed teams in the Football League Third Division table. The winners of the semi-finals will go through to the finals, with the winner of the matches gaining promotion for the following season.
The Football League play-offs have been held every year since 1987. They take place for each division following the conclusion of the regular season and are contested by the four clubs finishing below the automatic promotion places.
In the First Division, Sheffield United, who are aiming to return to the top flight for the first time since 1994, finished 12 points behind second placed Leicester City, who in turn finished 6 points behind champions Portsmouth, who returned to the top flight for the first time since 1988. Reading who are aiming for a place in the top flight for the first time in their history, finished in fourth place in the table. Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are aiming to return to the top flight after nearly 20 years outside the top flight, finished in fifth place. Nottingham Forest finished 2 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and were looking for a place back in the Premiership for the first time since 1999.
See main article: 2002–03 Football League First Division.
| Team | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Sheffield United | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 72 | 52 | +20 | 80 | |
| 4 | Reading | 46 | 25 | 4 | 17 | 61 | 46 | +15 | 79 | |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 81 | 44 | +37 | 76 | |
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 82 | 50 | +32 | 74 |
See main article: 2003 Football League First Division play-off final.
| Team | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Bristol City | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 79 | 48 | +31 | 83 | |
| 4 | Queens Park Rangers | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 69 | 45 | +24 | 83 | |
| 5 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 82 | |
| 6 | Cardiff City | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 81 |
See main article: 2003 Football League Second Division play-off final.
| Team | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Bournemouth | 46 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 60 | 48 | +12 | 74 | |
| 5 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 68 | 49 | +19 | 72 | |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 46 | 37 | +9 | 70 | |
| 7 | Bury | 46 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 70 |
See main article: 2003 Football League Third Division play-off final.