English Football Pyramid System

English Football League Pyramid System

My Football Facts ⇒ England Football English Football League

The English Football Pyramid, also referred to as the English Football League System, is a structured hierarchy of professional, semi-professional and amateur football leagues in England and Wales that are interconnected through a mechanism of promotion and relegation  and two national competitions. Here we present a detailed overview of the English Football League Pyramid  first 11 tiers from the English Football League System and Non-League System for Professional, Semi-Professional and Amateur Football from the Premier League to the 11th Level of English Football Non-League Divisions.
The EFL Pyramid shown on this page is in the order of the English Soccer League system from Tier 1 Premier League to the English Football Tier 11.
The English Football League System has no automatic promotion & relegation below the 8th level.  Read More about the  EFL Pyramid
See also Previous English Football Pyramid
and UK Football Leagues

Overview of the English Football Pyramid

1st Level

Premier League New Logo

Premier League

20 clubs, 3 relegations
2nd Level

Sky Bet EFL Champions

EFL Championship

“The League”

24 clubs, 3 promotions, 3 relegations

3rd Level

Sky Bet EFL League One

EFL League One

24 clubs, 3 promotions, 4 relegations
4th Level

Sky Bet EFL League 2

EFL League Two

24 clubs, 4 promotions, 2 relegations
5th Level

 English Football League Pyramid System – My Football Facts, My Football Facts

“Non-League Football”

National League

5th Level and Lower

23 clubs, 2 promotions, 3 relegations

6th Level

National League North

Vanaroma South League

6th Level

National League North

National League South

22 clubs, 2 p, 2 r

21 clubs, 2 p, 1 r

7th Level 7th Level 7th Level 7th Level

Northern Premier League

Southern League

Southern League

Isthmian League

Premier Division Central Division South Division Premier Division

22 clubs, 2 p, 4 r

21 clubs, 2 p, 3 r

22 clubs, 2 p, 4 r

22 clubs, 2 p, 4 r

8th Level 8th Level 8th Level 8th Level 8th Level 8th Level 8th Level 8th Level

Northern PL

Northern PL

Northern PL

Southern League

Southern League

Isthmian League

Isthmian League

Isthmian League

Division One North East Division One Midlands Division One West Division One Central Division One South Division One South Central Division One North Division One South East
19 Clubs 20 Clubs 20 Clubs 20 Clubs 19 Clubs 19 Clubs 20 Clubs 20 Clubs
2 p, 1-3 r 2 p, 2-4 r 2 p, 2-4 r 2 p, 2-4 r 2 p, 1-3 r 2 p, 1-3 r 2 p, 2-4 r 2 p, 2-4 r

9th Level
Combined Counties League Premier Division North – 18 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Northern League Division One – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
Combined Counties League Premier Division South – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Southern Combination League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
Eastern Counties League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Southern Counties East League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
Essex Senior League – 21 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
Hellenic League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r United Counties League Premier Division North – 18 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
Midland League Premier Division – 19 clubs — 1–2p, 2r United Counties League Premier Division South – 21 clubs – 1-2p, 2r
North West Counties League Premier Division – 21 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Wessex League Premier Division – 21 clubs – 1–2p, 2r
Northern Counties East League Premier Division – 20 clubs — 1–2p, 2r Western League Premier Division – 19 clubs — 1–2p, 2r
10th Level
Combined Counties League Division One – 21 clubs – 2p, 0–3r Northern League Division Two – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
Eastern Counties League Division One North – 16 clubs – 2p, 0–3r South West Peninsula League Premier Division East – 20 clubs – 1p, 0–3r
Eastern Counties League Division One South – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r South West Peninsula League Premier Division West – 20 clubs – 1p, 0–3r
Hellenic League Division One – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r Southern Combination League Division One – 18 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
Midland League Division One – 19 clubs – 2p, 0–3r Southern Counties East League Division One – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
North West Counties League Division One North – 19 clubs – 2p, 0–3r Spartan South Midlands League Division One – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
North West Counties League Division One South – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r United Counties League Division One – 23 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
Northern Counties East League Division One – 21 clubs – 2p, 0–3r Wessex League Division One – 20 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
Western League Division One – 21 clubs – 2p, 0–3r
11th Level
Anglian Combination Premier Division – 16 clubs North Riding League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Bedfordshire County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Northamptonshire Combination League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Northern Alliance Premier Division – 16 clubs
Central Midlands League Premier Division North – 14 clubs Nottinghamshire Senior League Senior Division – 18 clubs
Central Midlands League Premier Division South – 14 clubs Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Cheshire League Premier Division – 16 clubs Peterborough & District League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Devon Football League North & East Division – 16 clubs Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division – 15 clubs
Devon Football League South & West Division – 16 clubs Shropshire County Football League – 14 clubs
Dorset Premier League – 16 clubs Somerset County League Premier Division – 18 clubs
Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division – 16 clubs Southern Combination League Division Two – 16 clubs
Essex Alliance League Senior Division – 14 clubs Spartan South Midlands League Division Two – 16 clubs
Essex Olympian League Premier Division – 16 clubs St Piran League East Division – 16 clubs
Gloucestershire County League – 16 clubs St Piran League West Division – 16 clubs
Hampshire Premier League Senior Division – 16 clubs Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Herefordshire FA County League Premier Division – 15 clubs Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division – 16 clubs
Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Surrey Elite Intermediate League – 16 clubs
Humber Premier League Premier Division – 16 clubs Thames Valley Premier League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Kent County League Premier Division – 16 clubs Wearside League Division One – 16 clubs
Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division – 16 clubs West Cheshire League Division One – 16 clubs
Lincolnshire League – 14 clubs West Lancashire League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Liverpool Premier League Premier Division – 16 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Division One – 16 clubs
Manchester League Premier Division – 16 clubs West Yorkshire League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Mid-Sussex League Premier Division – 14 clubs Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Middlesex County League Premier Division – 17 clubs York League Premier Division – 16 clubs
Midland League Division Two – 16 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division – 15 clubs

About the English Football Pyramid

The English Football League System is also known as the English Football Pyramid is a hierarchical system of professional and semi-professional football leagues in England bound together by a system of promotion, delegation and two national football competitions. The 92 clubs from the top four tiers of League Football   1. Premier League 2. Championship 3. League One and 4. League Two compete in the Football League Cup and FA cup. The 640 teams (in 2022-23) from the National League System (Non-league Football) stretch  from the 5th to 11th levels and compete in the FA cup.   The National League System (TheFA) is comprised of 57 leagues featuring a total of 84 divisions across England, providing a feeder system through to the EFL. Similar to the levels above, that non-league top tier league, The Premier League, Championship, League One, League two and the top tier league of non-league football – the National League – contain one division each, are nationwide in scope and are full-time professional leagues. Note that the number of clubs in a league can vary from year to year due to a variety of factors, such as clubs joining or leaving the league, merging with other clubs, or ceasing operations altogether.

William McGregor is widely regarded as the originator of contemporary football and the initiator of the English Football League. He is credited with establishing the first football league competition, where teams competed in both home and away fixtures arranged season by season. McGregor’s efforts led to the formation of a league comprising 12 of the most notable clubs in the country in 1888, which can be found on this page: Football League Club’s Divisional Records from 1888-89 to today.

The English Football League system is designed to allow clubs to progress up the pyramid as they become more successful and increase their fan base, revenue and infrastructure. Conversely, clubs can also be relegated down the pyramid if they perform poorly, leading to a constant turnover of teams and a competitive system that is unique to English football.

At the top of the pyramid is the Premier League, which consists of 20 clubs and is widely regarded as one of the best football leagues in the world. The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world and attracts some of the best players from around the globe.

Beneath the Premier League is the English Football League (EFL), which is made up of three divisions: the Championship, League One, and League Two. The Championship is the second-highest division in the pyramid and is widely regarded as one of the toughest and most competitive leagues in the world. It consists of 24 teams and is known for its intense promotion and relegation battles.

League One and League Two are the third and fourth tiers of the pyramid, respectively, and consist of 24 teams each. These leagues are primarily made up of smaller clubs and often provide a stepping stone for players and managers looking to progress to higher levels.

Beneath the EFL are a number of semi-professional leagues, including the National League, National League North, and National League South. These leagues consist of a mixture of semi-professional and amateur clubs and provide a platform for young players and clubs to develop their skills and gain valuable experience.

At the bottom of the pyramid are the grassroots leagues, which consist of local leagues and clubs that are often run by volunteers. These leagues provide an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to play football and enjoy the sport at a community level.

The English football league pyramid is a unique and exciting system that has produced some of the world’s best players and most competitive leagues. It allows clubs to progress and compete at higher levels as they grow, while also providing opportunities for grassroots football to flourish. Whether you are a fan of the Premier League or a local amateur team, there is something for everyone in the English football league pyramid.

References

Wikipedia

TheFA

English Football League

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