National League (English football)

Association football league in England

For the English football division known by this name since 2015, see National League (division).

Football league

National League

Founded| 1979; 46 years ago (1979) (as Alliance Premier League)
2004; 21 years ago (2004) (North & South)
Country| England
Other club(s) from| Wales
Divisions| National League
National League North
National League South
Number of clubs| 72
Promotion to| EFL
Relegation to| Northern Premier League Premier Division
Isthmian League Premier Division
Southern League Premier Divisions
Domestic cup(s)| FA Cup
FA Trophy
League cup(s)| National League Cup
Current champions| Barnet (National League)
Brackley Town (North)
Truro City (South)
(2024–25)
Broadcaster(s)| DAZN
Website| thenationalleague.org.uk
Current: 2025–26 Season

The National League of English Football Clubs is a professional football league in England that consists of 72 teams, divided equally between the National League (division), National League North and National League South. The National League is one of the major professional sports leagues in England.

It was called the "Alliance Premier League" from 1979 until 1986. Between 1986 and 2015, the league was known as the "Football Conference".[1]

All of the National League Elite clubs are fully professional, while a growing number of National League North and National League South clubs are also professional. Some professional clubs were previously in the English Football League (EFL), as opposed to clubs that have always been non-League. The National League is the lowest of the five nationwide professional football divisions in England, below the Premier League and the three divisions of the EFL, and is the top tier of the National League System of non-League football. The National League North and National League South form the sixth tier of professional English football. The National League consisted of only one division until 2004, but expanded as part of an extensive restructuring of the National League System beginning with the 2004–05 season. DAZN has brodcasted it with Germany France and UK

## Organisation

[edit]

The National League stands at the top of the National League System (NLS), a comprehensive structure linking together over 50 different leagues under the auspices of The Football Association (FA). The National League is at Step 1 of the NLS, and National League North and National League South make up Step 2. Above the National League are the 92 clubs that together make up the highest levels of English football, the Premier League and the EFL; below the National League are the Step 3 and lower leagues of the NLS.

The National League has 24 clubs and the North and South divisions have 24 clubs each. Each club plays the others in its division twice during a season, once at home and once away. Clubs earn three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat.

At the end of each season two clubs are promoted from the National League to EFL League Two and two teams from League Two are relegated to the National League to take their place. The two promotion places are awarded to the National League champions and to the winners of the National League Promotion Final, which is played between the two teams who were successful in playoff games, contested by those clubs finishing second to seventh in the final divisional standings.

At the other end of the table, the bottom four clubs in National League are relegated to either National League North or National League South. The decision as to which division the relegated club joins is made by the FA's NLS Committee, but is largely determined by geography. The four relegated teams are replaced by four promoted teams, two from National League North and two from National League South. For each of these two leagues, this is the champions and the winners of their respective Promotion Finals between their second to seventh place clubs in those divisions.[citation needed]

At the bottom of National League North and National League South, four clubs from each division are relegated and these eight clubs are divided among the Step 3 leagues of the NLS, the Northern Premier League, the Southern League, and the Isthmian League. Each of these Step 3 leagues promotes their respective champions and second- to fifth-place playoff winners. The NLS Committee determines which Step 3 leagues the relegated clubs join, and whether the promoted clubs join National League North or National League South.

Clubs relegated from the national division are not always geographically balanced. Thus, should it be deemed necessary, the NLS Committee may order one or more clubs from northern counties bordering the south and vice versa or from South Wales in the sixth tier to switch divisions (to move "horizontally" between the leagues, so to speak) so as to maintain numerical balance between North and South.[citation needed]

Due to financial constraints at this level of football, some clubs have escaped relegation despite finishing in a relegation position, due to the misfortune of others. For promotion to proceed, whether from the National League to the EFL, within the National League, or between the various leagues of the NLS, certain conditions concerning finances and facilities must be met. Failure to meet the requirements of the league concerned prevents the eligible club from being promoted.[citation needed]

The National League North and South expanded to 24 teams each in the 2022–23 season. Expansion was scheduled at first for 2020–21[2] until its implementation was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[3] It was fulfilled at the end of 2021–22.[4]

## History

[edit]

The National League was formed in 1979 from leading teams in the Northern Premier League and Southern League and was known originally as the Alliance Premier Football League and from 1986–87 as the Football Conference. Support for such a league came from Alan Hardaker, the long serving Secretary of the Football League. He suggested that an amalgamation of the two strongest lower leagues in England, the Northern Premier League and the Southern League, would reduce the number of candidates applying to join the Football League under the re-election system then in use. It was also thought it would enable the strongest non-league candidate to emerge. In 1977 the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues agreed to only put forward one candidate each for election to the League and this proved successful with Wimbledon and Wigan Athletic gaining election to the League in 1977 and 1978.[5] It was then agreed that a new league would be set up comprising 13 Southern League teams and 7 sides from the Northern Premier.[5]

The founder members were:

* AP Leamington
* Altrincham
* Bangor City
* Barnet
* Barrow
* Bath City
* Boston United

* Gravesend & Northfleet
* Kettering Town
* Maidstone United
* Northwich Victoria
* Nuneaton Borough
* Redditch United
* Scarborough

* Stafford Rangers
* Telford United
* Wealdstone
* Weymouth
* Worcester City
* Yeovil Town

|
|

Several Northern Premier sides who might have taken part in the new competition did not do so. Goole Town, Lancaster City, and Mossley all did not apply to enter the Alliance. Matlock Town and Runcorn were not admitted as their grounds did not meet the criteria required for the new league. Southport, who had been voted out of the Football League in 1978, were accepted as members of the new league, but eventually chose not to join it due to concerns over travelling costs.[6]

Barrow and Northwich had previously been members of the EFL. Barrow failed re-election in 1972, while Northwich resigned from the league in 1894. Barnet, Boston, Maidstone, Scarborough and Yeovil have also tasted EFL football since the formation of the National League, but are now back in the National League or its feeder leagues (Scarborough and Maidstone now in new incarnations).

Of the 20 founder members, the last to leave the fifth level were Northwich. They were relegated in 2005, a year after the demise of Telford. Barnet are the only founder member who have remained in the top five levels continuously since 1979.

Former League logo

Bangor City have since moved to the Welsh football league system, while AP Leamington, Maidstone, Nuneaton, Scarborough, and Telford later collapsed and were reconstituted in lower English leagues. Gravesend & Northfleet changed its name to Ebbsfleet United in 2007.

The National League had a single division for the first 25 years of its existence, but since the 2004–05 season has consisted of three divisions. The original division was renamed Conference National (currently National League) and two new regional divisions one level down were introduced, Conference North and Conference South (currently National League North and South). The new clubs to form this larger competition were drawn from the Northern Premier League, Southern League, and Isthmian League according to guidelines developed by the NLS Committee.

Two teams have won the National League three times: Barnet (1991, 2005, 2015) and Macclesfield Town (1995, 1997, 2018). Prior to Barnet's and Macclesfield's third title wins, five other clubs had also become champions twice: Altrincham (1980, 1981), Enfield (1983, 1986), Kidderminster Harriers (1994, 2000), Maidstone United, (1984, 1989), and Stevenage Borough (1996, 2010). Kidderminster also finished second in 1997 and 2013. Lincoln City became the seventh club to win the National League twice (1988, 2017), but subsequent to Barnet's third title. Only Barnet were promoted to the EFL on all three occasions; Maidstone's first title came before the era of automatic promotion, while Kidderminster Harriers, Macclesfield Town and Stevenage Borough were denied promotion because their grounds were not up to the required standard at the time of their first win. However, all three were promoted when they took their second title. Altrincham are the only team in history to retain the title, as at the time there was no automatic promotion to the EFL.

One former National League club has reached the Premier League, although six such clubs did compete in the top tier of football prior to the Premier League, in the Football League First Division: Carlisle United, Leyton Orient, Oxford United, Luton Town, Grimsby Town, and Notts County. All of them have since returned to the EFL, Luton and Orient by winning the title, and the other four by winning the playoff finals. Bradford (Park Avenue) also played in the First Division in its previous incarnation, however their current incarnation has only reached as high as the National League North division.

The highest league tier a club promoted from the National League has reached is the top flight Premier League, which (as of May 2023) has been reached by one club, Luton Town.

Conversely, Oldham Athletic became the first former Premier League side to compete in the National League and by extension, any non-League competition, following a home defeat by Salford City, in 2022.[7]

### Promotion and relegation

[edit]

Prior to 1987, for National League clubs to enter the EFL, they had to be elected by League members. As a consequence, there was no guarantee that winning the National League would result in promotion, and none of the league's first seven champions were promoted. This changed in 1987, when automatic promotion and relegation between the Football League Fourth Division and the National League was agreed. The first clubs affected by the new system were Lincoln City, who were relegated and replaced by Scarborough. However, although the champions of the National League are entitled to a place in the EFL, this was dependent on their stadium meeting the set criteria for membership. This meant that Northampton Town, Exeter City, and Torquay United all avoided relegation from the EFL from 1994 to 1996, although Exeter and Torquay were both relegated to the National League at a later date.

For three successive years in the 1990s, the National League champions were denied promotion to the EFL on these grounds. Since 1997, when Macclesfield Town won the title for the second time in three years, every champion has been promoted.

Since 2003, the National League has been awarded a second promotion place. Through 2017, this was decided by a play-off system similar to that of the EFL. The four teams below the National League champions played against each other in semi-finals over two legs, with second playing fifth and third playing fourth. The winners of these ties then played a single final game known as the Promotion Final, with the winners gaining the second promotion place. Doncaster Rovers were the first team to win the Promotion Final.

Prior to 2004, relegation from the National League meant dropping to one of the three feeder leagues below. After Chester City failed to avoid expulsion in 2010, three teams were relegated instead of four, to either the Northern Premier League, Southern League or Isthmian League, based on geographical criteria. In turn, the champions of these three leagues would be promoted to the National League. The closure of Chester City during the later stages of the 2009–10 season was the first mid-season closure of a club in the division since Newport County in the second half of the 1988–89 season; on both occasions, the records of both clubs were expunged.

In 2004, a restructuring of the National League System saw the creation of a new level immediately below the National League; two regional divisions now named National League North and National League South were created, with the feeder leagues dropping below them. There are two promotion places to the National League's top division from each regional division – the champions are promoted automatically, while the remaining place is again decided by semi-final play-offs and a promotion final. The four teams relegated from the National League (i.e. the highest division) are then allocated to one or other of the regional divisions dependent on their geographical location.

In May 2017, the National League proposed a revamp in the play-offs for all three divisions. Under the new system, the number of teams playing for promotion was increased to six. The clubs finishing second and third automatically proceed to a semi-final at their home grounds, while the clubs in fourth and fifth stage compete in qualifying round ties against the teams finishing seventh and sixth. The winners of those matches then complete the semi-finals.[8] These proposals were approved at the National League's annual general meeting on 10 June.[9]

In 2019, plans were discussed for the gradual restructuring of the NLS so that the North and South divisions were expected to expand to 24 teams each in 2021–22.[2][3] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2020–21 National League North and South seasons were curtailed and voided after written resolutions were put to a vote. No teams were relegated.[10] Expansion was therefore delayed and it was implemented before the 2022–23 season with eight-team relegations from tier six at the end of that season. To expand, two clubs in Step 2 were relegated and eight promoted from all four Step 3 divisions: the division champions and play-off winners.[11] Four teams in both North and South are relegated starting in 2023.[4]

## Current members

[edit]

Aldershot Town

Altrincham

Boston United

Braintree Town

Brackley Town

Carlisle United

Eastleigh

FC Halifax Town

Forest Green Rovers

Gateshead

Hartlepool
United

~~Morecambe~~

Rochdale

Scunthorpe United

Solihull Moors

Southend United

Tamworth

Truro City

Woking

Yeovil
Town

York City

Boreham Wood

Sutton
United

Wealdstone

AFC Fylde

AFC Telford United

Alfreton Town

Bedford Town

Buxton

Chester

Chorley

Curzon Ashton

Darlington

Hereford

Kidderminster
Harriers

King's
Lynn
Town

Leamington

Macclesfield

Marine

Merthyr Town

Oxford City

Peterborough
Sports

Radcliffe

Scarborough
Athletic

South Shields

Southport

Spennymoor Town

Worksop Town

AFC Totton

Bath City

Chelmsford
City

Chesham
United

Chippenham Town

Dorking Wanderers

Dover Athletic

Eastbourne
Borough

-Ebbsfleet United

Farnborough

Hemel Hempstead Town

Horsham

Maidenhead
United

Maidstone United

Salisbury

Slough
Town

Tonbridge Angels

Torquay
United

Weston-super-Mare

Worthing

Enfield
Town

H & R Borough

Hornchurch

Dagenham
& Redbridge

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 2025–26 National League clubs by division
– National League  – National League North  – National League South

### National League

[edit]

* AFC Fylde
* Aldershot Town
* Altrincham
* Boston United
* Braintree Town
* Carlisle United
* Dagenham & Redbridge
* Eastleigh
* Ebbsfleet United
* FC Halifax Town
* Forest Green Rovers
* Gateshead
* Hartlepool United
* Maidenhead United
* Morecambe
* Rochdale
* Scunthorpe United
* Solihull Moors
* Southend United
* Sutton United
* Tamworth
* Wealdstone
* Woking
* Yeovil Town
* York City

### National League North

[edit]

* Alfreton Town
* Brackley Town
* Buxton
* Chester
* Chorley
* Curzon Ashton
* Darlington
* Farsley Celtic
* Hereford
* Kidderminster Harriers
* King's Lynn Town
* Leamington
* Marine
* Needham Market
* Oxford City
* Peterborough Sports
* Radcliffe
* Rushall Olympic
* Scarborough Athletic
* South Shields
* Southport
* Spennymoor Town
* Warrington Town

### National League South

[edit]

* Aveley
* Bath City
* Boreham Wood
* Chelmsford City
* Chesham United
* Chippenham Town
* Dorking Wanderers
* Eastbourne Borough
* Enfield Town
* Farnborough
* Hampton & Richmond Borough
* Hemel Hempstead Town
* Hornchurch
* Maidstone United
* Salisbury
* Slough Town
* St Albans City
* Tonbridge Angels
* Torquay United
* Truro City
* Welling United
* Weston-super-Mare
* Weymouth
* Worthing

## Former National League clubs now in the EFL and Premier League

[edit]

Club  | Years in the National League  | Number of seasons  | Lowest tier competed in  | Current Division

|
|
|
|

Accrington Stanley | 2003–2006  | 3  | 8th  | League Two
AFC Wimbledon | 2008–2011  | 3  | 9th  | League Two
Barrow | 1979–1983; 1984-1986; 1989–1992; 1998–1999; 2004–2020  | 26  | 6th  | League Two
Bristol Rovers | 2014–2015  | 1  | 5th  | League One
Bromley | 2015–2024  | 9  | 8th  | League Two
Burton Albion | 2002–2009  | 7  | 6th  | League One
Cambridge United | 2005–2014  | 9  | 5th  | League One
Carlisle United | 2004–2005  | 1  | 5th  | League Two
Cheltenham Town | 1985–1992; 1997–1999; 2015–2016  | 10  | 7th  | League Two
Chesterfield | 2018–2024  | 6  | 5th  | League Two
Colchester United | 1990–1992  | 2  | 5th  | League Two
Crawley Town | 2004–2011  | 7  | 7th  | League One
Doncaster Rovers | 1998–2003  | 5  | 5th  | League Two
Exeter City | 2003–2008  | 5  | 5th  | League One
Fleetwood Town | 2008–2012  | 4  | 9th  | League Two
Grimsby Town | 2010–2016; 2021–2022  | 7  | 5th  | League Two
Harrogate Town | 2004–2020  | 16  | 7th  | League Two
Leyton Orient | 2017–2019  | 2  | 5th  | League One
Lincoln City | 1987–1988; 2011–2017  | 7  | 5th  | League One
Luton Town | 2009–2014  | 5  | 5th  | Championship
Mansfield Town | 2008–2013  | 5  | 5th  | League One
Morecambe | 1995–2007  | 12  | 7th  | League Two
Newport County | 1988–1989; 2004–2013  | 10  | 9th  | League Two
Notts County | 2019–2023  | 4  | 5th  | League Two
Oxford United | 2006–2010  | 4  | 5th  | Championship
Salford City | 2016–2019  | 3  | 10th  | League Two
Shrewsbury Town | 2003–2004  | 1  | 5th  | League One
Stevenage | 1994–2010  | 16  | 10th  | League One
Stockport County | 2011–2022  | 11  | 6th  | League One
Tranmere Rovers | 2015–2018  | 3  | 5th  | League Two
Wrexham | 2008–2023  | 15  | 5th  | League One
Wycombe Wanderers | 1985–1986; 1987–1993  | 7  | 5th  | League One

## Former EFL and Premier League clubs now in the National League

[edit]

Phoenix or reformed clubs are not included unless they competed in the League in their own right, and are counted separately from the original club. Highest English Football League tier is the tier's standing within the EFL and may not correspond to its overall standing on today's system.

Club  | Years in the EFL  | Number of seasons  | Highest tier competed in  | Current Division

|
|
|
|

Aldershot Town | 2008–2013  | 5  | 4th  | National League
Barnet | 1991–2001; 2005–2013; 2015–2018  | 21  | 3rd  | National League
Boston United | 2002–2007  | 5  | 4th  | National League
Dagenham & Redbridge | 2007–2016  | 9  | 3rd  | National League
Forest Green Rovers | 2017–2024  | 7  | 3rd  | National League
Hartlepool United | 1921–2017; 2021–2023  | 91  | 3rd  | National League
Kidderminster Harriers | 2000–2005  | 5  | 4th  | National League North
Oldham Athletic | 1907–2022  | 104  | 1st  | National League
Rochdale | 1921–2023  | 102  | 3rd  | National League
Scunthorpe United | 1950–2022  | 72  | 2nd  | National League North
Southend United | 1920–2021  | 94  | 2nd  | National League
Southport | 1921–1978  | 50  | 3rd  | National League North
Sutton United | 2021–2024  | 3  | 4th  | National League
Torquay United | 1927–2007; 2009–2014  | 78  | 3rd  | National League South
Yeovil Town | 2003–2019  | 16  | 2nd  | National League
York City | 1929–2004; 2012–2016  | 72  | 2nd  | National League

### Phoenix clubs

[edit]

Several clubs, formed as phoenix clubs after the dissolution of former EFL clubs, have competed in the National League. These include:

* AFC Telford United (founded in 2004 following the winding-up of Telford United in 2004)
* Aldershot Town (founded in 1992 following the winding-up of Aldershot in 1992)[12]
* Bradford (Park Avenue) (founded in 1987 following the winding-up of the original Bradford (Park Avenue) in 1974)
* Chester (founded in 2010 following the winding-up of Chester City in 2010)[13]
* Darlington (founded in 2012 following the winding-up of the original Darlington in 2012)
* FC Halifax Town (founded in 2008 following the winding-up of Halifax Town in 2008)[14]
* Gateshead (founded in 1977 following the winding-up of Gateshead in 1973)
* Hereford (founded in 2014 following the winding up of Hereford United in 2014)[15]
* Maidstone United (founded in 1992 following the winding-up of Maidstone United in 1992)
* Scarborough Athletic (founded in 2007 following the winding-up of Scarborough in 2007)

## Past National League winners

[edit]

Season | National League champions | Promotion Final winners

|
|

1979–80 | Altrincham** |
1980–81 | Altrincham** (2)
1981–82 | Runcorn**
1982–83 | Enfield**
1983–84 | Maidstone United**
1984–85 | Wealdstone**
1985–86 | Enfield** (2)
1986–87 | Scarborough*
1987–88 | Lincoln City*
1988–89 | Maidstone United* (2)
1989–90 | Darlington*
1990–91 | Barnet*
1991–92 | Colchester United*
1992–93 | Wycombe Wanderers*
1993–94 | Kidderminster Harriers**
1994–95 | Macclesfield Town**
1995–96 | Stevenage Borough**
1996–97 | Macclesfield Town* (2)
1997–98 | Halifax Town*
1998–99 | Cheltenham Town*
1999–00 | Kidderminster Harriers* (2)
2000–01 | Rushden & Diamonds*
2001–02 | Boston United*
2002–03 | Yeovil Town* | Doncaster Rovers* (match report)
2003–04 | Chester City* | Shrewsbury Town* (match report)
2004–05 | Barnet* (2) | Carlisle United* (match report)
2005–06 | Accrington Stanley* | Hereford United* (match report)
2006–07 | Dagenham & Redbridge* | Morecambe* (match report)
2007–08 | Aldershot Town* | Exeter City* (match report)
2008–09 | Burton Albion* | Torquay United* (match report)
2009–10 | Stevenage Borough* (2) | Oxford United* (match report)
2010–11 | Crawley Town* | AFC Wimbledon* (match report)
2011–12 | Fleetwood Town* | York City* (match report)
2012–13 | Mansfield Town* | Newport County* (match report)
2013–14 | Luton Town* | Cambridge United* (match report)
2014–15 | Barnet* (3) | Bristol Rovers* (match report)
2015–16 | Cheltenham Town* (2) | Grimsby Town* (match report)
2016–17 | Lincoln City* (2) | Forest Green Rovers* (match report)
2017–18 | Macclesfield Town* (3) | Tranmere Rovers* (match report)
2018–19 | Leyton Orient* | Salford City* (match report)
2019–20 | Barrow* | Harrogate Town* (match report)
2020–21 | Sutton United* | Hartlepool United* (match report)
2021–22 | Stockport County* | Grimsby Town* (match report)
2022–23 | Wrexham* | Notts County* (match report)
2023–24 | Chesterfield* | Bromley* (match report)
2024-25 | Barnet* (4) | Oldham* (match report)

* Promoted to the EFL (Fourth Division until 1992, Third Division from 1992 until 2004 and League Two from 2004)
** Not promoted

Season | National League North champions | Promotion Final winners

|
|

2004–05 | Southport | Altrincham
2005–06 | Northwich Victoria | Stafford Rangers
2006–07 | Droylsden | Farsley Celtic
2007–08 | Kettering Town | Barrow
2008–09 | Tamworth | Gateshead
2009–10 | Southport (2) | Fleetwood Town
2010–11 | Alfreton Town | AFC Telford United
2011–12 | Hyde | Nuneaton Town
2012–13 | Chester | FC Halifax Town
2013–14 | AFC Telford United | Altrincham
2014–15 | Barrow | Guiseley
2015–16 | Solihull Moors | North Ferriby United
2016–17 | AFC Fylde | FC Halifax Town
2017–18 | Salford City | Harrogate Town
2018–19 | Stockport County | Chorley
2019–20 | King's Lynn Town | Altrincham
2020–21 | None, season curtailed and voided due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 | Gateshead | York City
2022–23 | AFC Fylde | Kidderminster Harriers
2023–24 | Tamworth | Boston United
2024–25 | Brackley Town | Scunthorpe United
Season | National League South champions | Promotion Final winners

|
|

2004–05 | Grays Athletic | Eastbourne Borough **
2005–06 | Weymouth | St Albans City
2006–07 | Histon | Salisbury City
2007–08 | Lewes | Eastbourne Borough
2008–09 | AFC Wimbledon | Hayes & Yeading United
2009–10 | Newport County | Bath City
2010–11 | Braintree Town | Ebbsfleet United
2011–12 | Woking | Dartford
2012–13 | Welling United | Salisbury City
2013–14 | Eastleigh | Dover Athletic
2014–15 | Bromley | Boreham Wood
2015–16 | Sutton United | Maidstone United
2016–17 | Maidenhead United | Ebbsfleet United
2017–18 | Havant & Waterlooville | Braintree Town
2018–19 | Torquay United | Woking
2019–20 | Wealdstone | Weymouth
2020–21 | None, season curtailed and voided due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 | Maidstone United | Dorking Wanderers
2022–23 | Ebbsfleet United | Oxford City
2023–24 | Yeovil Town | Braintree Town
2024–25 | Truro City | Boreham Wood

** Not promoted. In 2004–05 only three promotion places were available to the Conference Premier. The third place was decided in a Promotion Final at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, which Eastbourne Borough lost 2–1 to the Conference North Playoff winners, Altrincham.

## League Cup

[edit]

Main article: National League Cup (football)

The Alliance Premier/Conference organised a cup competition from 1979 until 2009, with occasional breaks when sponsors were not available. Known initially as the Bob Lord Challenge Trophy until 2000–01, the cup competition was reinstated in 2004–05 as the Conference League Cup for one season, before returning again in 2007-08 as the Setanta Shield, sponsored by Setanta Sports. Very much like the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy at the higher levels, it has not always proved popular with fans and was generally viewed as of secondary importance to the FA Trophy. The cup was put in abeyance when Setanta Sports' British service ceased.

In the 2024–25 season, the competition was revived as the 32-team National League Cup, with 16 National League clubs and 16 under-21 teams from Premier League 2.[16]

### Winners

[edit]

Season  | Winners  | Runners-up

|
|

1979–80 | Northwich Victoria | Altrincham
1980–81 | Altrincham | Kettering Town
1981–82 | Weymouth | Enfield
1982–83 | Runcorn | Scarborough
1983–84 | Scarborough | Barnet
1984–85 | Runcorn | Maidstone United
1985–86 | Stafford Rangers | Barnet
1986–87 | Kettering Town | Hendon
1987–88 | Horwich RMI | Weymouth
1988–89 | Yeovil Town | Kidderminster Harriers
1989–90 | Yeading | Stamford
1990–91 | Sutton United | Barrow
1991–92 | Wycombe Wanderers | Runcorn
1992–93 | Northwich Victoria | Wycombe Wanderers
1993–94 | Macclesfield Town | Yeovil Town
1994–95 | Bromsgrove Rovers | Kettering Town
1995–96 | Bromsgrove Rovers | Macclesfield Town
1996–97 | Kidderminster Harriers | Macclesfield Town
1997–98 | Morecambe | Woking
1998–99 | Doncaster Rovers | Farnborough Town
1999–2000 | Doncaster Rovers | Kingstonian
2000–01 | Chester City | Kingstonian
2001–02 | not held
2002–03 | not held
2003–04 | not held
2004–05 | Woking | Stalybridge Celtic
2005–06 | not held
2006–07 | not held
2007–08 | Aldershot Town | Rushden & Diamonds
2008–09 | AFC Telford United | Forest Green Rovers
2009–10 to 2023–24 | not held
2024–25 | in progress

## Sponsorship

[edit]

Since 1984, the National League has been publicly known by the names of a succession of official title sponsors. The name was officially changed from Alliance Premier to the Football Conference in 1986, and to the National League in 2015. Below is a list of sponsors and what they chose to call the league.

Period  | Sponsor  | Name

|
|

1984–1986 | Gola | Gola League
1986–1998 | General Motors | GM Vauxhall Conference
1998–2004 | Nationwide Building Society | Nationwide Conference
2004–2007 | Nationwide Building Society | Nationwide Conference / Nationwide Conference North / Nationwide Conference South
2007–2010 | Blue Square | Blue Square Premier / Blue Square North / Blue Square South
2010–2013 | Blue Square Bet | Blue Square Bet Premier / Blue Square Bet North / Blue Square Bet South
2013–2014 | Skrill | Skrill Premier / Skrill North / Skrill South
2014–2015 | Vanarama | Vanarama Conference / Vanarama Conference North / Vanarama Conference South
2015–2025 | Vanarama | Vanarama National League / Vanarama National League North / Vanarama National League South

## Media coverage

[edit]

The National League's first major TV coverage began in 2006 when Setanta SportsThe channel showed 79 matches each season.[17] It also showed the Conference League Cup. Prior to this, games from the league had occasionally be shown since 2001 on Sky Sports. Setanta's coverage continued until its British operations went under in June 2009.

On 19 August 2010, Premier Sports announced that it had bought the live and exclusive UK television rights to thirty matches per season from the Conference Premier for a total of three seasons.[18] The thirty matches selected for broadcast included all five Conference Premier matches culminating in the Promotion Final itself.[19] The deal with the then-Football Conference was a revenue sharing arrangement whereby clubs received 50% of revenue from subscriptions, on top of the normal rights fee paid by the broadcaster, once the costs of production were met. The Conference also earned 50% from all internet revenue associated with the deal and allowed them to retain advertising rights allied to those adverts shown with their matches. During the 2010–11 season, Premier Sports failed to attract enough viewers to its Conference football broadcasts to share any revenue with the clubs beyond the £5,000 broadcast fee paid to home clubs and £1,000 to away clubs.

BT Sport commenced a contract in 2013–14 to cover again up to 30 National league matches including the end of season semi finals and the Promotion Final. The deal worth £300,000,[20] sees the fee to each home clubs as £7,000 and the away club £1,000. The National League also launched its own channel called NLTV, which focuses on all 68 member clubs across the three divisions.[1]

On 30 July 2024, it was announced that DAZN would become the global home of the National League. This deal would involve all 557 National League matches, as well as a significant selection of National League North and National League South matches being streamed to over 200 countries, including the UK, on an exclusive basis. The deal is a seven-year deal that will run until the end of the 2030/2031 season [21]

## See also

[edit]

* National League (division)
* National League North
* National League South

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b ""Football Conference to be renamed as National League". BBC Sport. 6 April 2015.
2. ^ a b Edkins, Matt (17 April 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: FA outline second phase of Non-League restructuring". The Non-League Football Paper (Interview).
3. ^ a b "Update on non-League, women's & grassroots football seasons". The Football Association. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
4. ^ a b Osborn, Oliver (1 July 2021). "National League Statement | OAGM Round-Up". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
5. ^ a b Robinson, Michael, ed. (2017). Non-League Football Tables 1889-2017. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books Ltd. p. 47\. ISBN 978-1-86223-354-6.
6. ^ Robinson, Michael, ed. (2017). Non-League Football Tables 1889-2017. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books Ltd. p. 48\. ISBN 978-1-86223-354-6.
7. ^ The Observer (22 April 2022). "Oldham drop out of Football League after 115 years amid fierce protests". The Guardian. Guardian sport and agencies. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
8. ^ "Revealed: Big changes to National League format". Pitch Hero Ltd. 17 May 2017.
9. ^ "Big Changes To National League Play-offs Confirmed". Pitch Hero Ltd. 11 June 2017.
10. ^ Osborn, Oliver (18 February 2021). "National League Statement | Outcome Of Written Resolutions". Vanarama National League. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
11. ^ "National League: Football Association confirms promotion and relegation for 2021-22". BBC Sport. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
12. ^ "Aldershot Town FC enter administration". footballeconomy.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
13. ^ "Chester City wound up in High Court". BBC Sport. 10 March 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
14. ^ "Leagues agreed for 2008–09 season" BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
15. ^ "Hereford United wound up in High Court over tax debt". BBC Sport. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
16. ^ "Premier League and National League announce National League Cup".
17. ^ "Setanta nabs Conference football". The Guardian. 25 August 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
18. ^ "Premier Sports Secure Conference TV Rights". Vital Football. 19 August 2010. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
19. ^ "Football Conference Signs Unique TV Deal". Blue Square Bet Premier. 20 August 2010. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
20. ^ "BT Sport 'signs £300k Football Conference broadcasting deal'". Cable.co.uk. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
21. ^ "DAZN SECURES ENGLISH DOMESTIC FOOTBALL WITH ACQUISITION OF EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST RIGHTS TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE". dazngroup.com. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National League (English association football).

* Official website
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National League

2025–26
Clubs|

| National|

| Clubs|

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Grounds|

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North|

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See also: National League Cup

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Football in England

The Football Association

National teams|

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League competitions|

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Levels 2–4|

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Levels 5–6|

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Levels 7–8|

* Isthmian League
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Levels 9–10|

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|

League cups|

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County cups|

* List of county cups

Others|

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Lists|

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