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 six teams from Wales and one from Guernsey also competing. The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the hypothetical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. There are more than 140 individual leagues, containing more than 480 divisions.^[1] The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues 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 English-based men's clubs play outside the English football league system.

History

The creation of the Football League was in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor. This was dominated by those clubs who had supported professionalism, and the twelve founding members consisted of six from Lancashire (Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Bolton Wanderers, Accrington, Everton and Preston North End) and six from the Midlands (Aston Villa, Derby County, Notts County, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers). No sides from the South including London initially participated.

About the system

A diagram showing the areas covered by Level 9 of the English football league system.

Map showing the location of teams in levels 9–10 of the English football league system in 2011–12

The system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each league can rise to a higher league, whilst those that finish at the bottom of their league can find themselves sinking down a level. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.

In theory it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to rise to the pinnacle of the English game and become champions of the Premier League. While this may be unlikely in practice (at the very least, in the short run), there certainly is significant movement within the pyramid.

The top five levels contain one division each and are nationwide in scope. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Many leagues have more than one division. At the lower levels the existence of leagues becomes intermittent, although in some of the more densely populated areas there are leagues more than twenty layers below the Premier League.^[2] There are also leagues in various parts of the country which are not officially part of the system as they do not have formal agreements with other leagues, but are recognised at various levels by county football associations. Clubs from these leagues may, if they feel they meet the appropriate standard of play and have suitable facilities, apply to join a league which does form part of the system.

The seven levels immediately below the Premier League and Football League are known as the National League System and come under the jurisdiction of The Football Association.^[3] It evolved over many years. In the most recent major re-organisation, two new leagues were entered at level six – the Conference North and Conference South (now National League North and South) – shifting the top divisions of the Southern League, Isthmian League and Northern Premier League down to level seven. In May 2014 The Football Association announced provisional plans for a new division between the Football League and the National League which would include "B" teams of higher level clubs.

The English football league system does not include the amateur version of the game often called Sunday league football. These leagues are independent entities with no promotion or relegation involving the football pyramid. However, some Sunday League clubs have been known to join pyramid leagues if they desire to progress higher.

Structure

At the top is the single division of the Premier League (which is often referred to as the "top flight"), containing 20 clubs, all of which, up to the 2010–11 season, were based in England. However, two Welsh teams (Swansea City and Cardiff City) have joined as of the 2011–12 season and the 2013–14 season. Cardiff City have since been relegated to the Championship. Below the Premier League is The Football League, which is divided into three divisions of 24 clubs each: The Championship (Level 2), League One (Level 3) and League Two (Level 4). The 92 clubs in the Premier League and Football League are all full-time professional clubs. They are often referred to as 'League' clubs because, before the establishment of the Premier League in 1992, the Football League included all 92 clubs, in four divisions. Clubs outside this group are referred to as 'non-League' clubs, although they too play most of their football in league-type competitions.

The top tier of non-League football is the National League, which contains a national division (National League) of 24 clubs (Level 5), this is the lowest level with a single national league. There are two divisions at Level 6, covering the north (National League North) and south (National League South), with 22 clubs each. Some of these clubs are full-time professional and the others are semi-professional. Below the National League some of the stronger clubs are semi-professional, but continuing down the tiers, soon all the clubs are amateur. Lower-level leagues also tend to cater for progressively smaller geographic regions.

Next down from the National League are three regional leagues, each associated with different geographical areas, although some overlap exists. They are the Northern Premier League (which covers the north of England and north Wales), Southern Football League (which covers the Midlands, south and southwest of England, and south Wales) and the Isthmian League (which covers the south east of England). All of the leagues have a Premier Division of 24 teams (Level 7). Below these, and split by region, the Northern Premier League and Southern Football League each have two parallel divisions of 22 teams (Level 8). The Isthmian League has two parallel level 8 divisions of 24 teams each.

Level 9 contains the top divisions of a large group of fourteen sub-regional leagues. Each of these leagues has a different divisional set up, but they all have one thing in common: there are yet more leagues below them, each covering smaller and smaller geographical levels.

Promotion and relegation rules for the top eight levels

Approximate areas covered by level 8 of the League System. The Red shades cover the Northern Premier League; the Blue shades cover the Southern League; Green and Yellow cover the Isthmian League

1. Premier League (level 1, 20 teams): The bottom three teams are relegated.
2. Football League Championship (level 2, 24 teams): Top two automatically promoted; next four compete in the playoffs, with the winner gaining the third promotion spot. The bottom three are relegated.
3. Football League One (level 3, 24 teams): Top two are automatically promoted; next four compete in playoffs, with the winner gaining the third promotion spot. The bottom four are relegated.
4. Football League Two (level 4, 24 teams): Top three teams are automatically promoted; next four compete in playoffs, with the winner gaining the fourth promotion spot. The bottom two are relegated.
5. National League (level 5, 24 teams): The champions are promoted; next four compete in playoffs, with the winner gaining the second promotion spot. The bottom four are relegated to either North or South division as appropriate.
6. National League North and National League South (level 6, 22 teams each, running in parallel): The champions in each division are automatically promoted; next four teams in each division compete in playoffs, with the playoff winner in each division getting the second promotion spot. The bottom three teams in each division relegated to either Northern Premier League, Southern League or Isthmian League as appropriate. If, after promotion and relegation, the number of teams in the North and South divisions are not equal, one or more teams are transferred between the two divisions to even them up again.
7. Northern Premier League Premier Division, Southern Football League Premier Division and Isthmian League Premier Division (level 7, 24 teams each, running in parallel): The champions in each division are automatically promoted; next four teams in each division compete in playoffs, with the playoff winner in each division getting the second promotion spot. The bottom four teams in each division relegated to a level 8 division as appropriate. If, after promotion and relegation, the number of teams in the divisions are not equal, one or more teams are transferred between the three divisions to even them up again.
8. Northern Premier League Division One North, Northern Premier League Division One South, Southern Football League Division One Central, Southern Football League Division One South & West, Isthmian League Division One North and Isthmian League Division One South (level 8, running in parallel, 22 teams in each of the Northern Premier League and Southern Football League level 8 divisions, and 24 teams in each Isthmian League level 8 division): The champions in each division are automatically promoted; next four teams in each division compete in playoffs, with the playoff winner in each division getting the second promotion spot. The bottom two teams in each Northern Premier League and Southern Football League level 8 division and the bottom three teams in each Isthmian League level 8 division are relegated to a level 9 division as appropriate. If, after promotion and relegation, the number of teams in the divisions are not equal, one or more teams are transferred between the divisions to even them up again.

Cup eligibility

Being members of a league at a particular level also affects eligibility for Cup, or single-elimination, competitions.

• FA Cup: Levels 1 to 10 (and very occasionally 11)
• Football League Cup: Levels 1 to 4
• Football League Trophy: Levels 3 to 4 (and some seasons, Level 5)
• FA Trophy: Levels 5 to 8
• FA Vase: Levels 9 to 11
• FA Inter-league Cup: Level 11 (contested by representative teams from each league)

Below Level 11 the pyramid becomes regional and the cups become accordingly regional. Further down the pyramid is split on a county basis, counties having their own cups accordingly. This excludes some tournaments marked "Senior Cups", which often are competitions between teams representing top professional clubs in a given district, and may be little more than derbies, such as the Gloucestershire Cup, which originally included all teams in Gloucestershire, but then came to be contested as a Bristol derby.

The system

For details of changes made below the level of The Football League, see History of the English non-League football system.

The table below shows the current structure of the system. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which differs from its historic name) and number of clubs is given. At levels 1–8, each division promotes to the division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the division(s) that lie directly below it. Below that level, individual league articles detail promotion and relegation arrangements.

Level one in the pyramid, the top division of English football, is run by the Premier League (which gives its name to the competition in that division), the winners of which are regarded as the champions of England. Levels two to four are run by the Football League. Together, these four divisions make up what is known as "league football".

The leagues below level four are classed as "non-league football", meaning they are outside the Football League. The leagues at levels five to eleven comprise the National League System (NLS), and come under the direct jurisdiction of the Football Association. The top level (level 5) of the NLS is known as "Step 1" by the FA, the next (level 6) as "step 2", and so on.

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Premier League (Barclays Premier League) 20 clubs – 3 relegations
2	Football League Championship (Sky Bet Championship) 24 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations
3	Football League One (Sky Bet League 1) 24 clubs – 3 promotions, 4 relegations
4	Football League Two (Sky Bet League 2) 24 clubs – 4 promotions, 2 relegations
5	National League (Vanarama National League) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
6	National League North (Vanarama National League North) 22 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations			National League South (Vanarama National League South) 22 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations
7	Northern Premier League Premier Division (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations		Southern Football League Premier Division 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations		Isthmian League Premier Division (Ryman Football League Premier Division) 24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
8	Northern Premier League Division One North (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division North) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Northern Premier League Division One South (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division South) 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Southern Football League Division One Central 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Southern Football League Division One South & West 22 clubs – 2p, 2r	Isthmian League Division One North (Ryman Football League Division One North) 24 clubs – 2p, 3r	Isthmian League Division One South (Ryman Football League Division One South) 24 clubs – 2p, 3r
9	(All divisions run in parallel) Combined Counties League Premier Division – 22 clubs Eastern Counties League Premier Division – 20 clubs Essex Senior League – 21 clubs Hellenic League Premier Division – 20 clubs Midland Football League Premier Division – 22 clubs North West Counties League Premier Division – 22 clubs Northern Counties East League Premier Division – 22 clubs Northern League Division One – 22 clubs Southern Combination Football League Premier Division – 20 clubs Southern Counties East League – 19 clubs Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division – 22 clubs United Counties League Premier Division – 22 clubs Wessex League Premier Division – 21 clubs Western League Premier Division – 21 clubs
10	(All divisions run in parallel) Combined Counties League Division One – 17 clubs East Midlands Counties League – 20 clubs Eastern Counties League Division One – 19 clubs Hellenic League Division One East – 14 clubs Hellenic League Division One West – 14 clubs Kent Invicta League – 20 clubs Midland Football League Division One – 20 clubs North West Counties League Division One – 18 clubs Northern Counties East League Division One – 22 clubs Northern League Division Two – 22 clubs South West Peninsula League Premier Division – 20 clubs Southern Combination Football League Division One – 17 clubs Spartan South Midlands League Division One – 20 clubs United Counties League Division One – 20 clubs Wessex League Division One – 18 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division – 22 clubs Western League Division One – 21 clubs
11	Anglian Combination Premier Division – 16 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Premier Division – 16 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Premier Division – 18 clubs Central Midlands League North Division – 16 clubs Central Midlands League South Division – 18 clubs Cheshire Football League Premier Division – 16 clubs Dorset Premier League – 17 clubs East Berkshire Football League Premier Division – 9 clubs Essex and Suffolk Border League Premier Division – 14 clubs Essex Olympian League Premier Division – 14 clubs Gloucestershire County League – 17 clubs Hampshire Premier League Senior Division – 17 clubs Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division – 18 clubs Humber Premier League Premier Division – 15 clubs Kent County League Premier Division – 15 clubs Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division – 17 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division – 15 clubs Manchester League Premier Division – 16 clubs Middlesex County Football League Premier Division – 18 clubs Midland Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Premier Division – 15 clubs Northern Football Alliance Premier Division – 16 clubs			Nottinghamshire Senior League Senior Division – 17 clubs Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division – 12 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Premier Division – 18 clubs Scarborough and District Football League First Division - 11 clubs Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs Somerset County League Premier Division – 18 clubs South West Peninsula League Division One East – 18 clubs South West Peninsula League Division One West – 17 clubs Southern Combination Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Spartan South Midlands Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division – 18 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich League Senior Division – 16 clubs Surrey Elite Intermediate Football League Intermediate Division – 16 clubs Teesside Football League Division One – 16 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs Wearside League – 20 clubs West Cheshire League Division One – 16 clubs West Lancashire Football League Premier Division – 16 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Division One – 18 clubs West Riding County Amateur League Premier Division – 14 clubs West Yorkshire League Premier Division – 15 clubs Wiltshire League Premier Division – 16 clubs York League Premier Division – 15 clubs
12	Anglian Combination Division One – 15 clubs Aylesbury and District League Premier Division – 9 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division One – 13 clubs Brighton, Worthing & District Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division – 13 clubs Bristol and Suburban League Premier Division One – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Senior A Division – 16 clubs Cheshire Football League League One – 12 clubs Cornwall Combination – 19 clubs Devon & Exeter League Premier Division – 16 clubs Doncaster and District Senior League – 17 clubs Dorset Football League Senior Division – 13 clubs Durham Alliance League – 12 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division One – 9 clubs East Cornwall League Premier Division – 14 clubs East Sussex Football League Premier Division – 10 clubs Essex Alliance Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Essex and Suffolk Border League Division One – 16 clubs Essex Olympian League Senior Division One – 13 clubs Gloucester Northern Senior League Division One – 16 clubs Hampshire Premier League Division One – 11 clubs Hertfordshire Senior County League Division One – 17 clubs Humber Premier League Division One – 15 clubs Kent County League Division One East – 11 clubs Kent County League Division One West – 12 clubs Leicestershire Senior League Championship Division One – 16 clubs Lincolnshire League – 14 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Division One – 14 clubs Manchester League Division One – 13 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs Middlesex County Football League Division One (Central & East) – 10 clubs			Middlesex County Football League Division One (West) – 11 clubs Midland Football League Division Three – 16 clubs Midlands Regional Alliance Premier Division – 12 clubs North Berks Football League Division One – 12 clubs North Bucks and District League Premier Division – 13 clubs North Devon League Premier Division – 16 clubs Northamptonshire Combination League Division One – 14 clubs Northern Football Alliance Division One – 16 clubs Nottinghamshire Senior League Division One – 15 clubs Oxfordshire Senior League Division One – 8 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division One – 16 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs Portsmouth Saturday Football League Premier Division – 8 clubs Salisbury & District (Saturday) League Premier Division – 9 clubs Scarborough and District Football League Second Division - 11 clubs Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League Division One – 14 clubs Somerset County Football League Division One East – 14 clubs Somerset County Football League Division One West – 14 clubs South Devon League Premier Division – 14 clubs Staffordshire County Senior League Division One – 16 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich League Division One – 14 clubs Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Premier Division – 12 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division One – 12 clubs Swindon & District Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Division One – 11 clubs Trowbridge & District Football League Division One – 12 clubs West Cheshire League Division Two – 16 clubs West Lancashire Football League Division One – 14 clubs West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two – 17 clubs West Riding County Amateur League Division One – 12 clubs West Sussex League Premier Division – 11 clubs West Yorkshire League Division One – 16 clubs Wycombe and District League Premier Division – 9 clubs York League Senior Section – 9 clubs
13	Aldershot & District League Senior Division – 10 clubs Altrincham and District Amateur Football League Division One – 11 clubs Andover and District Football League – 10 clubs Anglian Combination Division Two – 15 clubs Aylesbury and District League Division One – 11 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Premier Division – 11 clubs Basingstoke and District Football League Division One – 9 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Bournemouth Saturday League Premier Division – 11 clubs Brighton, Worthing & District Football League Division One East – 13 clubs Brighton, Worthing & District Football League Division One West – 9 clubs Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division One – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban League Premier Division Two – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Senior B Division – 16 clubs Cheshire Football League League Two – 12 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division One – 13 clubs Dorset Football League Division One – 12 clubs Driffield and District League Premier Division – 9 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Two – 10 clubs East Cornwall League Division One – 15 clubs East Riding County League Premier Division – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division One – 7 clubs Essex Alliance Football League Division One – 10 clubs Essex and Suffolk Border League Division Two – 15 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Senior Division Two – 12 clubs Gloucester Northern Senior League Division Two – 16 clubs Hertford and District League Premier Division – 10 clubs Kent County League Division Two East – 11 clubs Kent County League Division Two West – 12 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division – 12 clubs Leicester and District League Premier Division – 10 clubs Liverpool County Premier League Division Two – 10 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Premier Division – 14 clubs Middlesex County Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Mid-Essex League Premier Division – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Championship – 10 clubs			Midlands Regional Alliance Division One – 12 clubs North Berks Football League Division Two – 11 clubs North Bucks and District League Intermediate Division – 13 clubs North Devon Football League Senior Division – 16 clubs North Leicestershire League Premier Division – 10 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Northern Football Alliance Division Two – 15 clubs Nottinghamshire Senior League Division Two – 16 clubs Oxfordshire Senior Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Two – 15 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Football League Division One – 12 clubs Portsmouth Saturday Football League Division One – 8 clubs Salisbury & District (Saturday) League Division One – 6 clubs Scarborough and District Football League Division 3 - 11 clubs Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Somerset County Football League Division Two East – 14 clubs Somerset County Football League Division Two West – 14 clubs South Devon Football League Division One – 14 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Premier Division – 10 clubs Southend Borough Combination Premier Division – 12 clubs Staffordshire County Senior Football League Division Two North – 12 clubs Staffordshire County Senior Football League Division Two South – 11 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Two – 14 clubs Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) Division One – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division Two – 13 clubs Swindon & District Football League Division One – 9 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Trelawny League Premier Division – 14 clubs Trowbridge & District Football League Division Two – 11 clubs West Cheshire Association Football League Division Three – 16 clubs West Lancashire Football League Division Two – 12 clubs West Riding County Amateur Football League Division Two – 9 clubs West Sussex Football League Division One – 11 clubs West Yorkshire Association Football League Division Two – 16 clubs Witney and District League Premier Division – 11 clubs Wycombe and District League Division One – 8 clubs York Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs
14	Aldershot & District League Division One – 10 clubs Altrincham and District Amateur Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Anglian Combination Division Three – 18 clubs Aylesbury and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division One – 11 clubs Basingstoke and District Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Bournemouth Saturday League Division One – 9 clubs Brighton, Worthing & District Football League Division Two West – 10 clubs Bristol and District League Senior Division – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division One – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division One A – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division One B – 14 clubs Cheltenham League Division One – 13 clubs Cirencester and District League Division One – 13 clubs Craven and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Dorset Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Driffield and District League Division One – 9 clubs Duchy League Premier Division – 13 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Three – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division One – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Essex Alliance Football League Division Two – 9 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Senior Division Three – 13 clubs Furness Premier League Premier Division – 14 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Premier Division – 11 clubs Halifax and District League Premier Division – 11 clubs Harrogate and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs Hertford and District League Division One – 12 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division One – 12 clubs Kent County League Division Three East – 12 clubs Kent County League Division Three West – 14 clubs Kingston and District Football League Premier Division – 11 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division One – 14 clubs Leicester and District League Division One – 13 clubs			Liverpool County Premier League Division Three – 8 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Division One – 12 clubs Mid-Essex League Division One – 12 clubs Mid-Somerset League Premier Division – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division One – 9 clubs Midlands Regional Alliance Division Two – 10 clubs Newcastle Corinthians League Division One – 9 clubs North Berks Football League Division Three – 11 clubs North Bucks and District League Division One – 13 clubs North Devon Football League Intermediate Division One – 14 clubs North Gloucestershire League Premier Division – 14 clubs North Leicestershire League Division One – 10 clubs North Northumberland League Division One – 10 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Three – 14 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Three Perry Street and District League Premier Division – 13 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Redhill and District Football League Premier Division – 7 clubs South Devon Football League Division Two – 14 clubs South Yorkshire Amateur League – 15 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Senior Division One – 10 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division One – 12 clubs Spen Valley and District Football League Premier Division – 12 clubs Stroud and District League Division One – 13 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Three – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division One – 11 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division One – 11 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Trelawny League Division One – 14 clubs Tyneside Amateur League Division One – 13 clubs Wakefield and District League Premier Division – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Two North – 12 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Two South – 11 clubs Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division One – 11 clubs Wimbledon & District Football League Premier Division – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division One – 11 clubs Yeovil and District League Premier Division – 12 clubs York Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Premier Division – 11 clubs
15	Aldershot & District League Division Two – 7 clubs Anglian Combination Division Four – 15 clubs Aylesbury and District League Division Three – 10 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Two – 11 clubs Bedfordshire County Football League Division Four – 11 clubs Bournemouth Saturday League Division Two – 11 clubs Bristol and District League Division One – 14 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two A – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two B – 14 clubs Cheltenham League Division Two – 13 clubs Cirencester and District League Division Two – 15 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Premier Division – 9 clubs Craven and District League Division One – 12 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Three – 14 clubs Dorset Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Duchy League Division One – 12 clubs East Berkshire Football League Division Four – 10 clubs East Riding County League Division Two – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Senior Division Four – 14 clubs Furness Premier League Division One – 10 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division One – 11 clubs Halifax and District League Division One – 13 clubs Harrogate and District League Division One – 13 clubs Hertford and District League Division Two – 11 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday League Division One – 11 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division One – 10 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Two – 14 clubs Leicester and District League Division Two – 12 clubs Mercian Regional Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Two – 13 clubs			Mid-Somerset Football League Division One – 11 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Newcastle Corinthians League Division Two – 10 clubs North Berks Football League Division Four – 12 clubs North Bucks and District League Division Two – 12 clubs North Devon Football League Intermediate Division Two – 12 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division One – 13 clubs North Leicestershire League Division Two – 10 clubs North Northumberland League Division Two – 11 clubs Northampton Town Football League – 7 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Four – 14 clubs Perry Street and District League Division One – 13 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Four – 15 clubs Plymouth and West Devon Combination Football League Division Three Redhill and District Football League Division One – 10 clubs South Devon Football League Division Three – 14 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division One – 11 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Two – 11 clubs Spen Valley and District Football League Division One – 9 clubs Stroud and District League Division Two – 13 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Four – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Two – 12 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Two – 11 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Four – 10 clubs Trelawny League Division Two – 14 clubs Wakefield and District League Division One – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Three North – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Three South – 10 clubs Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Two – 11 clubs Wimbledon & District Football League Division One – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division Two – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Division One – 12 clubs York Football League Division Four – 12 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Championship Division – 12 clubs
16	Anglian Combination Division Five North – 15 clubs Anglian Combination Division Five South – 16 clubs Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Three – 12 clubs Bournemouth Saturday League Division Three – 11 clubs Bristol and District League Division Two – 15 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three A – 14 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three B – 14 clubs Cheltenham League Division Three – 13 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Division One – 13 clubs Craven and District League Division Two – 14 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Four – 13 clubs Dorset Football League Division Four – 11 clubs Duchy League Division Two – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Three – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Four – 11 clubs Essex Olympian Football League Senior Division Five – 13 clubs Furness Premier League Division Two – 11 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Two – 13 clubs Halifax and District League Division Two – 12 clubs Harrogate and District League Division Two – 13 clubs Hertford and District League Division Three – 13 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday League Division Two – 11 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division Two – 12 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Three – 14 clubs			Leicester and District League Division Three – 11 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Three – 13 clubs Mid-Somerset League Division Two – 13 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three – 9 clubs North Berks Football League Division Five – 13 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Two – 13 clubs North Leicestershire League Division Three – 12 clubs Northamptonshire Combination Football League Division Five – 14 clubs Perry Street and District League Division Two – 13 clubs Peterborough and District Football League Division Five – 13 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Two – 7 clubs South Devon Football League Division Four – 14 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Two – 11 clubs Southend Borough Combination Division Three – 11 clubs Stroud and District League Division Three – 13 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Five – 12 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Three – 11 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Three – 9 clubs Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Five – 9 clubs Trelawny League Division Three – 14 clubs Wakefield and District League Division Two – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Four North – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Four South – 10 clubs Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Three – 12 clubs Wimbledon & District Football League Division Two – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Division Two – 10 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division One – 13 clubs
17	Bournemouth Saturday League Division Four – 12 clubs Bristol and District League Division Three – 15 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Four – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four A – 12 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four B – 14 clubs Cheltenham League Division Four – 13 clubs Colchester and East Essex Football League Division Two – 13 clubs Craven and District League Division Three – 13 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Five – 13 clubs Dorset Football League Division Five – 10 clubs Duchy League Division Three – 13 clubs East Riding County League Division Four – 12 clubs East Sussex Football League Division Five – 9 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Three – 11 clubs Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Four – 14 clubs Isle of Wight Saturday League Division Three – 15 clubs Kingston and District Football League Division Three – 11 clubs Lancashire Amateur League Division Four – 13 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Four – 14 clubs Mid-Somerset League Division Three – 14 clubs			Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four – 9 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Three – 13 clubs Perry Street and District League Division Three – 13 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Three – 10 clubs South Devon Football League Division Five – 13 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Three – 10 clubs Stroud and District League Division Four – 13 clubs Suffolk and Ipswich Football League Division Six – 13 clubs Surrey South Eastern Combination Junior Division Four – 12 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Four – 10 clubs Trelawny League Division Four – 14 clubs Wakefield and District League Division Three – 11 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Five North – 10 clubs West Sussex Football League Division Five South – 10 clubs Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Four – 11 clubs Wimbledon & District Football League Division Three – 10 clubs Witney and District League Division Four – 12 clubs Yeovil and District League Division Three – 12 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Two – 12 clubs
18	Bristol and District League Division Four – 15 clubs Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Five – 11 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five A – 13 clubs Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Five B – 12 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division One – 12 clubs Cheltenham League Division Five – 13 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Six – 14 clubs Duchy League Division Four – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Five – 12 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Four – 14 clubs			Lancashire Amateur League Division Five – 12 clubs Mid-Essex League Division Five – 14 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five – 10 clubs North Gloucestershire League Division Four – 13 clubs Redhill and District Football League Division Four – 10 clubs Southampton Saturday Football League Junior Division Four – 9 clubs St. Edmundsbury Football League Division One – 7 clubs Stroud and District League Division Five – 14 clubs Taunton & District Saturday League Division Five – 10 clubs Trelawny League Division Five – 14 clubs Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Five – 11 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three – 12 clubs
19	Bristol and District League Division Five – 15 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division Two – 11 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Seven – 12 clubs Duchy League Division Five – 12 clubs East Riding County League Division Six – 11 clubs Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Five – 12 clubs			Lancashire Amateur League Division Six – 12 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Six – 11 clubs St. Edmundsbury Football League Division Two – 7 clubs Stroud and District League Division Six – 12 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Four – 12 clubs (NOTE: No league has its top division at level 19)
20	Central and South Norfolk League Division Three – 12 clubs Devon & Exeter Football League Division Eight – 12 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Seven – 10 clubs			St. Edmundsbury Football League Division Three – 7 clubs Stroud and District League Division Seven – 14 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Five – 10 clubs (NOTE: No league has its top division at level 20)
21	Bristol and Avon League – 13 clubs Central and South Norfolk League Division Four – 9 clubs Devon and Exeter Football League Division Nine – 12 clubs Mid-Sussex Football League Division Eight – 9 clubs Yorkshire Amateur League Division Six – 11 clubs (NOTE: This is the lowest level at which any league has its top division)
22	Mid-Sussex Football League Division Nine – 10 clubs
23	Mid-Sussex Football League Division Ten – 10 clubs

See also

• League system, for a list of similar systems in other countries
• National League System, the system involving the 5th–11th tiers of English football, organised by the FA
• History of the English non-League football system
• Women's football in England#Pyramid, women's system
• FA WSL and FA Women's Premier League, the top three levels of the women's pyramid (the WSL is a single league, and the Women's Premier League has one national division with two regional divisions below it)

References

1. "Thepyramid.info: Statistics". 7 November 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
2. "The Pyramid.info". thepyramid.info.
3. The Football Association. "Leagues: Steps 1–7". thefa.com.

External links

• Fans Focus – Non League Pyramid at Fans Focus