STEP 1. GRADE 1

ELITE GAME STATUS

1 Division

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Premier Division

2 promotion places available to the FOOTBALL LEAGUE. The  division Champion plus

the winner of  a 6 club playoff.

STEP 2. GRADE 2

ELITE GAME STATUS

2 Divisions

National League North
National League South

4 promotion places available. Each division champion plus

the winner of each division 

6 club playoff.

    STEP 3. GRADE 3

4 Divisions

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

Premier Division

SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Premier Central

Premier South

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE

Premier

8 promotion places available.

4 automatic, 4 through playoffs

STEP 4. GRADE 4

8 Divisions

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE

Division 1 East

Division 1 Midlands

Division 1 South West

SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Division 1 Central

Division 1 South

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE

Division 1 North

Division 1 South Central

Division 1 South East

16 promotion places available.

8 automatic, 8 through playoffs

STEP 5. GRADE 5

14 LEAGUES

16 DIVISIONS

16 automatic promotion places available.

From 2023/24 season-

 Purely Step 5 divisional

play-offs for additional

promotion places

STEP 5 LEAGUES

Northern League Division 1

Southern Combination Premier

Southern Counties East Premier

Spartan South Midlands Premier

United Counties League Premier

(2 divisions)

Wessex League Premier

Western League Premier

STEP 6. GRADE 6

14 LEAGUES

17 DIVISIONS

Locally agreed promotion & relegation places.

Relegation to County

Leagues/ (Step 7 outside of NLS).

Pooling of clubs to determine which League at Step 5 they are

promoted to.

STEP 6 LEAGUES

Combined Counties Division 1

Eastern Counties North

Eastern Counties South

Hellenic Division 1

Midland Football League Div 1

North West Counties Div 1 North

North West Counties Div 1 South

Northern Counties East Div 1

Northern League Division 2