The 2010–11 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 130th 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 759 clubs were accepted for the competition, down three from the previous season's 762.
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. The 32 winning teams from the fourth round qualifying progressed to the First round proper, where League teams tiered at Levels 3 and 4 entered the competition.
The calendar of the 2010–11 FA Cup qualifying rounds, as announced by The FA.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
| Round | Main date | Leagues entering at this round | New entries this round | Winners from previous round | Number of fixtures | Prize money[6] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 2010 | 402 | none | 201 | £750 | |||
| 28 August 2010 | 131 | 201 | 166 | £1,500 | |||
| 11 September 2010 | 66 | 166 | 116 | £3,000 | |||
| 25 September 2010 | 44 | 116 | 80 | £4,500 | |||
| 9 October 2010 | none | none | 80 | 40 | £7,500 | ||
| 23 October 2010 | 24 | 40 | 32 | £12,500 | |||
| For the next rounds look 2010–11 FA Cup | |||||||
Extra Preliminary Round ties were played on the weekend of 14 August 2010. 402 clubs from Level 9 and Level 10 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition.
Preliminary Round fixtures were played on the weekend of 28 August 2010. A total of 332 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 201 winners from the Extra Preliminary Round, Ashford Town, who were without a league to compete but were included in a draw, and 130 entering at this stage from the six leagues at Level 8 of English football, except three clubs: Chester who was ineligible to participate as they only spent their second season, Leyton, who decided not to participate, and Grays Athletic, who get a bye to the next stage. The round featured 55 clubs from Level 10 still in the competition, being the lowest-ranked teams in this round.
The first round qualifying fixtures were played on the weekend of 11 September 2010, with replays being played the following mid-week. A total of 232 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 166 winners from the preliminary round, 65 entering at this stage from the top division of the three leagues at Level 7 of English football and Grays Athletic, while Halesowen Town from Southern League Premier Division missing this years competition due to ownership issues.[7] The round featured 21 clubs from Level 10 still in the competition, being the lowest-ranked clubs in this round.
The second round qualifying fixtures were played on the weekend of 25 September 2010. A total of 160 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 116 winners from the first round qualifying and 44 Level 6 clubs, from Conference North and Conference South, entering at this stage. Radcliffe Olympic and Wednesfield from Level 10 of English football, were the lowest-ranked clubs to qualify for this round of the competition.
The third round qualifying took place on the weekend of 9 October 2010. A total of 80 clubs took part, all having progressed from the second round qualifying. Radcliffe Olympic from Level 10 of English football was the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
The fourth round qualifying took place on the weekend of 23 October 2010. A total of 64 clubs took part, 40 having progressed from the third round qualifying and 24 clubs from Conference Premier, forming Level 5 of English football, entering at this stage. Tipton Town, Poole Town, Hythe Town and Leiston from Level 9 of English football were the lowest-ranked clubs to qualify for this round of the competition.
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 1 | Mossley (8) | 2–6 | Darlington (5) | 619 | |
| 2 | Sheffield (8) | 2–2 | Tipton Town (9) | 1,026 | |
| Tipton Town (9) | 2–0 | Sheffield (8) | 1,429 | ||
| 3 | Guiseley (6) | 2–1 | Redditch United (6) | 808 | |
| 4 | Fleetwood Town (5) | 2–1 | Buxton (7) | 1,181 | |
| 5 | Altrincham (5) | 0–2 | Gateshead (5) | 797 | |
| 6 | Vauxhall Motors (6) | 1–0 | Newcastle Town (8) | 323 | |
| 7 | F.C. United of Manchester (7) | 1–0 | Barrow (5) | 3,229 | |
| 8 | Workington (6) | 1–1 | Nuneaton Town (6) | 520 | |
| Nuneaton Town (6) | 1–0 | Workington (6) | 943 | ||
| 9 | Tamworth (5) | 1–1 | Grimsby Town (5) | 928 | |
| Grimsby Town (5) | 0–1 | Tamworth (5) | 1,612 | ||
| 10 | Kidderminster Harriers (5) | 0–2 | York City (5) | 1,123 | |
| 11 | FC Halifax Town (7) | 0–1 | Mansfield Town (5) | 2,986 | |
| 12 | Wrexham (5) | 1–2 | Southport (5) | 2,052 | |
| 13 | Stalybridge Celtic (6) | 1–2 | Eastwood Town (6) | 659 | |
| 14 | Droylsden (6) | 3–0 | Barwell (8) | 411 | |
| 15 | Woking (6) | 3–2 | Eastleigh (6) | 1,048 | |
| 16 | Hythe Town (9) | 2–0 | Staines Town (6) | 808 | |
| 17 | Eastbourne Borough (5) | 2–4 | Harrow Borough (7) | 681 |
| Tie | Home team (tier) | Score | Away team (tier) | ||
| 18 | Cambridge United (5) | 3–0 | Lewes (6) | 1,626 | |
| 19 | Corby Town (6) | 3–0 | Salisbury City (7) | 957 | |
| 20 | Newport County (5) | 0–1 | Crawley Town (5) | 2,247 | |
| 21 | Luton Town (5) | 4–0 | St Albans City (6) | 4,144 | |
| 22 | Farnborough (6) | 1–1 | Dover Athletic (6) | 845 | |
| Dover Athletic (6) | 5–0 | Farnborough (6) | 1,044 | ||
| 23 | Kettering Town (5) | 1–2 | Rushden & Diamonds (5) | 2,792 | |
| 24 | Carshalton Athletic (7) | 1–1 | Chelmsford City (6) | 1,024 | |
| Chelmsford City (6) | 3–2 | Carshalton Athletic (7) | 1,069 | ||
| 25 | Hendon (7) | 0–0 | Metropolitan Police (8) | 269 | |
| Metropolitan Police (8) | 0–2 | Hendon (7) | 302 | ||
| 26 | Leiston (9) | 0–0 | Dartford (6) | 832 | |
| Dartford (6) | 3–2 | Leiston (9) | 1,074 | ||
| 27 | Basingstoke Town (6) | 0–1 | AFC Wimbledon (5) | 1,726 | |
| 28 | Swindon Supermarine (7) | 0–0 | Bath City (5) | 551 | |
| Bath City (5) | 3–4 | Swindon Supermarine (7) | 665 | ||
| 29 | Havant & Waterlooville (6) | 2–0 | Histon (5) | 905 | |
| 30 | Forest Green Rovers (5) | 1–0 | Maidenhead United (6) | 580 | |
| 31 | Poole Town (9) | 1–3 | Hayes & Yeading United (5) | 1,217 | |
| 32 | Ebbsfleet United (6) | 3–0 | Boreham Wood (6) | 1,005 |
See main article: 2010–11 FA Cup. Winners from the Fourth Round Qualifying advanced to the first round proper, where clubs from Level 3 and Level 4 of English football, operating in The Football League, first enter the competition. See 2010–11 FA Cup for a report of first round proper onwards.