English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in England, with five teams from Wales, one from Guernsey, one from Jersey and one from the Isle of Man also competing. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the theoretical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system.
The top level of the system is the Premier League. Below that are levels 2-4, organized by the English Football League, then the National League System from levels 5-10, and thereafter feeder leagues run by relevant county football associations on an ad hoc basis.
The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues, merge, or fold altogether, but an estimated average of 15 clubs per division implies that more than 7,000 teams of nearly 5,300 clubs are members of a league in the English men's football league system.
The pyramid for women's football in England runs separately to nine tiers and some England-based men's clubs play outside the English football league system.
Structure
| Level | Divisions | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Premier League | 20 |
| 2 | EFL Championship | 24 |
| 3 | EFL League One | 24 |
| 4 | EFL League Two | 24 |
| 5 | National League | 24 |
| 6 | National League North and National League South | 24 each |
| 7 | Northern Premier League Premier Division, Southern Football League Premier Central, Southern Football League Premier South, and Isthmian League | 22 each |
| 8 | Northern Premier League Division One East, Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, Northern Premier League Division One West, Southern Football League Division One East, Southern Football League Division One West, Isthmian League Division One North, Isthmian League Division One South Central, and Isthmian League Division One South East | 20 each |
Clubs
National League
| Club | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Altrincham | Altrincham | J. Davidson Stadium |
| Barnet | Edgware | The Hive Stadium |
| Boreham Wood | Borehamwood | LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park |
| Bromley | Bromley | Hayes Lane |
| Chesterfield | Chesterfield | Technique Stadium |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | Dagenham | Chigwell Construction Stadium |
| Dover Athletic | Dover | Crabble Athletic Ground |
| Eastleigh | Eastleigh | Silverlake Stadium |
| Halifax Town | Halifax | The Shay |
| Hartlepool United | Hartlepool | Victoria Park |
| King's Lynn Town | King's Lynn | The Walks |
| Notts County | Nottingham | Meadow Lane |
| Solihull Moors | Solihull | ARMCO Arena |
| Southend United | Southend-on-Sea | Roots Hall |
| Stockport County | Stockport | Edgeley Park |
| Torquay United | Torquay | Plainmoor |
| Woking | Woking | Kingfield Stadium |
| Wrexham | Wrexham, Wales | Racecourse Ground |
| Yeovil Town | Yeovil | Huish Park |
National League North
| Club | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Darlington | Darlington | The Darlington Arena |
| York City | York | LNER Community Stadium |
National League South
| Club | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Weymouth | Weymouth | Bob Lucas Stadium |
Defunct Clubs
| Club | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Bury | Bury | Gigg Lane |
| Hereford United | Hereford | Edgar Street |
| Wimbledon | Wimbledon | National Hockey Stadium |
Seasons
List of English football seasons
See also
 Leagues Portal
|
