Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, six non-league football clubs – that is, clubs outside the divisions of The Football League and, since 1992, the Premier League – have reached the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, to become one of the last 16 clubs in the competition. Each non-league side lost their Fifth Round cup tie, some heavily, and none reached the Sixth Round (last 8 clubs, quarter finals).
Perhaps the most remarkable FA Cup run of a non-league club since 1945 was that of Northern League club Blyth Spartans in 1977–78. Having started in the 1st qualifying round, and progressed to draw their first Fifth Round tie away to Wrexham 1–1, Blyth Spartans were "in the hat" for the Sixth Round draw. They were drawn to play Arsenal at home in the Sixth Round, but lost the Fifth Round replay 2–1 at home, played in front of a crowd of over 42,000 at St James' Park.
A long FA Cup run for a non-league club usually depends on avoiding matches against teams from the top divisions after they join the competition in the Third Round. The most recent example of a non-league team beating top-flight opposition in the FA Cup was Sutton United's victory over Coventry City in 1989. The last time a non-league side beat top-flight opposition away from home was Altrincham's victory over Birmingham City in 1986. Both of these matches were in the Third Round, and both teams went on to lose their Fourth Round matches (against Norwich City and York City respectively).
In the history of the FA Cup, only eight teams who were playing outside of the top level of English football have gone on to win the competition. Tottenham Hotspur won the FA Cup Final 1901 while playing in the Southern League, the only time a non-league team has won the FA Cup. At that time the Football League consisted of only two 18-team divisions. Apart from Tottenham Hotspur in 1901, the other seven teams were all in the (pre-1992) Second Division, most recently West Ham United in 1980.
| 1947–48 – Colchester United F.C. – Southern League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 4th qualifying | Saturday 15 November 1947 | Chelmsford City | Away | 3–1 |
| 1st | Saturday 29 November 1947 | Banbury Spencer | Home | 2–1 |
| 2nd | Saturday 13 December 1947 | Wrexham | Home | 1–0 |
| 3rd | Saturday 10 January 1948 | Huddersfield Town | Home | 1–0 |
| 4th | Saturday 24 January 1948 | Bradford Park Avenue | Home | 3–2 |
| 5th | Saturday 7 February 1948 | Blackpool | Away | 0–5 |
| 1948–49 – Yeovil Town – Southern League | ||||
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 4th qualifying | Saturday 13 November 1948 | Lovells Athletic | Away | 3–2 |
| 1st | Saturday 27 November 1948 | Romford | Home | 4–0 |
| 2nd | Saturday 11 December 1948 | Weymouth | Away | 4–0 |
| 3rd | Saturday 8 January 1949 | Bury | Home | 3–1 |
| 4th | Saturday 29 January 1949 | Sunderland | Home | 2–1 |
| 5th | Saturday 13 February 1949 | Manchester United | Away | 0–8 |
| 1977–78 – Blyth Spartans – Northern League | ||||
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 1st qualifying | Saturday 17 September 1977 | Shildon | Away | 3–0 |
| 2nd qualifying | Saturday 8 October 1977 | Crook Town | Away | 1–1 |
| 2nd qualifying (replay) | Wednesday 12 October 1977 | Crook Town | Home | 3–0 |
| 3rd qualifying | Saturday 22 October 1977 | Consett | Away | 4–1 |
| 4th qualifying | Saturday 5 November 1977 | Bishop Auckland | Away | 1–0 |
| 1st | Saturday 26 November 1977 | Burscough | Home | 1–0 |
| 2nd | Saturday 17 December 1977 | Chesterfield | Home | 1–0 |
| 3rd | Saturday 7 January 1978 | Enfield | Home | 1–0 |
| 4th | Monday 6 February 1978 | Stoke City | Away | 3–2 |
| 5th | Saturday 18 February 1978 | Wrexham | Away | 1–1 |
| 5th (replay) | Monday 27 February 1978 | Wrexham | Home | 1–2 |
| 1984–85 – Telford United – Alliance Premier League | ||||
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 1st | Saturday 17 November 1984 | Lincoln City | Away | 1–1 |
| 1st (replay) | Tuesday 20 November 1984 | Lincoln City | Home | 2–1 |
| 2nd | Saturday 8 December 1984 | Preston North End | Away | 4–1 |
| 3rd | Saturday 5 January 1985 | Bradford City | Home | 2–1 |
| 4th | Tuesday 29 January 1985 | Darlington | Away | 1–1 |
| 4th (replay) | Monday 4 February 1985 | Darlington | Home | 3–0 |
| 5th | Saturday 16 February 1985 | Everton | Away | 0–3 |
| 1993–94 – Kidderminster Harriers – Football Conference | ||||
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 4th qualifying | Saturday 23 October 1993 | Chesham United | Away | 4–1 |
| 1st | Saturday 13 November 1993 | Kettering Town | Home | 3–0 |
| 2nd | Saturday 4 December 1993 | Woking | Home | 1–0 |
| 3rd | Saturday 8 January 1994 | Birmingham City | Away | 2–1 |
| 4th | Saturday 29 January 1994 | Preston North End | Home | 1–0 |
| 5th | Saturday 19 February 1994 | West Ham United | Home | 0–1 |
| 2010–11 – Crawley Town – Conference National | ||||
| Round | Date | Against | At | Score |
| 4th qualifying | Saturday 23 October 2010 | Newport County | Away | 1–0 |
| 1st | Saturday 6 November 2010 | Guiseley | Away | 5–0 |
| 2nd | Friday 26 November 2010 | Swindon Town | Away | 1–1 |
| 2nd (replay) | Tuesday 7 December 2010 | Swindon Town | Away | 3–2 |
| 3rd | Monday 10 January 2011 | Derby County | Home | 2–1 |
| 4th | Saturday 29 January 2011 | Torquay United | Away | 1–0 |
| 5th | Saturday 19 February 2011 | Manchester United | Away | 0–1 |