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 | System | Division(s) | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Premier League | n/a | 20 |
| 2 | English Football League | EFL Championship | 24 |
| 3 | English Football League | EFL League One | 24 |
| 4 | English Football League | EFL League Two | 24 |
| 5 | National League System | National League | 24 |
| 6 | National League System | National League North and National League South | 24 each |
| 7 | National League System | Northern Premier League Premier Division, Southern Football League Premier Central, Southern Football League Premier South, and Isthmian League | 22 each |
| 8 | National League System | 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 |
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
 Leagues Portal
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