National League System

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The National League system comprises the leagues of the divisions 5 to 11 in English football. A total of around 1,500 teams are organized in 84 league competitions. A transition to the Football League (divisions 2 to 4) is possible through fixed promotion and relegation regulations . The system is organized hierarchically. There are not automatic ascent and descent regulations at every point.

organization

Geographical breakdown of level 2 of the NLS.

The highest league in the National League system is the National League . It is the only league in the system that is nationally organized and thus covers the whole of England. The National League champions and play-off winners will be promoted to Football League Two . It is therefore also the highest level of so-called non-league football , which is located below the Football League. In return, two teams leave the Football League for the Conference National each season.

There are more and more relays below the National League, each of which covers smaller geographic areas. These can also overlap.

All leagues are linked by the principle of promotion and relegation. Successful teams can thus rise in the pyramid, luckless ones slide downwards. In theory, advancement to the heights of professional football is possible. The number of promoters and relegators varies and is shown in the table below. However, it is not only the sporting success that counts, but also the equipment of the club (finances, venue). Between levels 4 and 5 there is a separate test and no automatic ascent and descent. The teams not only have to meet requirements that affect their stadium and financial situation, but also be among the top three in their respective leagues. There are other local leagues below level 7 of the NLS, but they are no longer under the direct supervision of the Football Association .

Under the supervision of the Football Association, the National League system has evolved over the past few years and has taken its current form.

There are fixed official names for the individual leagues. In addition, sponsor names can be added in the four upper levels. All divisions of the four upper tiers have 22 clubs each, apart from the Northern Premier League Division One North / South, which each have 20 or 21 teams, and the Conference National, which has 24 teams. The National League System Committee determines the relay allocation based on local affiliation. The committee ensures that the league operations are numerically balanced and at the same time organized in a geographically sensible way.

All NLS teams are eligible to compete in the FA Cup , but depending on the level they enter different rounds of the cup. The teams from levels 1 to 4 can take part in the FA Trophy , the teams from levels 5 to 7 in the FA Vase . From 1979 to 2001, 2004/05 and from 2007 to 2009 the Conference League Cup was held, which was open to the teams of the two upper levels of the NLS. These cup competitions, like some of the NLS leagues, bear the names of different sponsors.

step League / Division
1 National League
(Vanarama National League)
Promoted to League Two of the Football League: champions and winners of the play-offs of the second to fifth placed teams .

Relegated to the National League North or National League South: 4 teams .

2 National League North
(Vanarama National League North ) 		National League South
(Vanarama National League South )
Promoted to the National League: The champions and
winners of the play-offs of the second to fifth placed teams in the two leagues .
Relegated to the leagues of level 3: 3 teams each from both divisions .
3 Northern Premier League
( Evo-Stik League )
Premier Division 		Southern League
( Evo-Stik League Southern )
Premier Division 		Isthmian League
( Bostik League )
Premier Division
Promoted to the National League North / South: The champions and
winners of the play-offs of the teams placed second to fifth in the three divisions .
Relegated to the leagues of level 4: 4 teams each from the three divisions .
4th Northern Premier League
( Evo-Stik League )
Division One North 		Northern Premier League
( Evo-Stik League )
Division One South 		Southern Football League
( Evo-Stik League Southern )
Division One Central 		Southern Football League
( Evo-Stik League Southern )
Division One South & West 		Isthmian League
( Bostik League )
North Division 		Isthmian League
( Bostik League )
South East Division 		Isthmian League
( Bostik League )
South Central Division
Promoted to the leagues of level 3: The champions and
winners of the play-offs of the teams in the divisions placed second to fifth .

Relegated to the leagues of level 5 are determined by an NLS committee: 2 teams from the Northern Premier Leagues and Southern Football Leagues, 3 teams from the Isthmian Leagues .

5

Combined Counties League Premier Division • Eastern Counties League Premier Division • Essex Senior League • Hellenic League Premier Division • Midland League Premier Division • Northern Counties East League Premier Division • Northern League Division One • North West Counties League Premier Division • Southern Counties East League • Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division • Southern Combination League Premier Division • United Counties League Premier Division • Wessex League Premier Division • Western League Premier Division

Promoters to the leagues of level 4 are determined by an NLS committee: a total of 14 champions .

Relegated: Organized accordingly by agreement with the divisions below .

6th

Combined Counties League Division One • East Midlands Counties League • Eastern Counties League Division One • Hellenic League Division One East • Hellenic League Division One West • Kent Invicta League • Midland League Division One • Northern Counties East Division One • Northern League Division Two • North West Counties League Division One • South West Peninsula League Premier Division • Spartan South Midlands League Division One • Southern Combination League Division One • United Counties League Division One • Wessex League Division One • West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division • Western League Division One

Promoted and relegated: Organized accordingly by agreement with the divisions involved .
7th

Anglian Combination Premier Division • Central Midlands League North Division • Central Midlands League South Division • Cheshire League Division One • Dorset Premier League • Gloucestershire County League • Essex Olympian League Premier Division • Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division • Humber Premier League Premier Division • Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division • Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division • Midland League Division Two • Northern Alliance Premier Division • Peterborough & District League Premier Division • Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division • Somerset County League Premier Division • South West Peninsula League Division One East • South West Peninsula League Division One West • Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division • Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division • Wearside League • West Cheshire League Division One • West Midlands (Regional) League Division One • West Yorkshire League Premier Division • Wiltshire League Premier Division

Promoted and relegated: Organized accordingly by agreement with the divisions involved .
7A

Bedfordshire County League Premier Division • Cambridgeshire League Premier Division • Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division • Hampshire Premier League Senior Division • Manchester League Premier Division • Middlesex County League Premier Division • Northamptonshire Combination Premier Division • Nottinghamshire Senior League Premier Division • Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division • Reading League Senior Division • Southern Combination League Division Two • West Lancashire League Premier Division • York League Premier Division

Promoted and relegated: Organized accordingly by agreement with the divisions involved .
7B

Kent County League Premier Division • Spartan South Midlands League Division Two • Surrey Elite Intermediate League • West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division

Promoted and relegated: Organized accordingly by agreement with the divisions involved .
Note: Even if there are other leagues under the level 7 divisions, they are not part of the National League system.
The regional distributions in level 5.

In the 7th level of the NLS, the leagues are divided into three categories:

  • Category 7: 100% of the teams meet the stadium requirements for the 7th level of the NLS as well as all other requirements of the leagues,
  • Category 7A: 75% of the teams meet the stadium requirements for the 7th level of the NLS as well as all other requirements of the leagues,
  • Category 7B: 60% of the teams meet the stadium requirements for the 7th level of the NLS as well as all other requirements of the leagues.

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