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| National League North/South | |
|---|---|
| Name | National League North/South |
| Country | England |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Teams | 48 (24 each) |
| Promotion | National League |
| Relegation | Northern Premier League Premier Division; Southern League Premier Division Central; Southern League Premier Division South; Isthmian League Premier Division |
| Domestic cup | FA Cup; FA Trophy |
National League North/South The National League North/South are parallel sixth-tier divisions in the English football league system, serving as regional feeders to the National League. Formed in 2004, the divisions sit below the National League and above the semi-professional regional leagues including the Northern Premier League, the Southern League and the Isthmian League. Clubs include long-established teams such as Stockport County, Hereford United, Chester FC, Sutton United, and Dagenham & Redbridge, alongside smaller community clubs from cities, towns and boroughs across England, Wales and occasionally the Isle of Man.
The concept of regional sixth-tier divisions arose from reorganisation proposals by the Football Association and stakeholders including the Football Conference (now National League). The divisions were launched for the 2004–05 season to replace earlier regionalised tiers and to align promotion pathways linking clubs from the Northern Premier League, Southern League, and Isthmian League with national competition. Over time the competitions have seen promotions of former Football League clubs such as Wrexham, York City, Luton Town, Portsmouth (via later promotions), and historic clubs impacted by financial collapse like Darlington, Rushden & Diamonds, and Crawley Town. Reforms in 2015 and 2018 adjusted step allocations, regional boundaries and the number of promotion places following consultations involving the English Football League and the Football Association Council.
Each division normally comprises 24 clubs that play a double round-robin schedule, following rules codified by the Football Association and administered by the National League board. Seasons typically run from August to May, with fixtures scheduled to accommodate participation in the FA Cup, FA Trophy, and local county cups such as the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup or the Lancashire Senior Cup. Match officials are appointed through the Professional Game Match Officials Limited pathway, while disciplinary matters reference precedents from the Football Association Challenge Cup and English football refereeing protocols. Stadia must meet ground-grading criteria influenced by standards applied in the English Football League.
Promotion to the National League has traditionally involved the division champion and a play-off winner, with the play-offs expanding and contracting during reform periods influenced by FA governance reforms. Relegation typically drops clubs to the Northern Premier League, the Southern League, or the Isthmian League based on geographic allocation determined by the Football Association's National League System committee. Exceptional movements—such as reprieves for clubs due to others' insolvency—have involved clubs like Gateshead, Blyth Spartans, Bromley, and Havant & Waterlooville in cross-division adjustments.
Clubs participating have included former Football League institutions and community clubs like Macclesfield Town, AFC Fylde, Hereford FC, Bradford (Park Avenue), Leamington F.C., Chippenham Town, Ebbsfleet United, Boreham Wood, Tamworth, and FC United of Manchester. Membership changes seasonally through promotion, relegation, ground grading decisions, and voluntary demotions by clubs such as Wrexham AFC historically in adjacent tiers, while reorganisations have redistributed clubs between the North and South divisions to maintain regional balance and reduce travel burdens for supporters and staff.
Statistical leaders include top scorers, appearance holders and attendance records tracked by organisations such as the National League statisticians and historians including compilers associated with The Football Yearbook and the Association of Football Statisticians. Records feature high-scoring campaigns by players from clubs like Worcester City, Kettering Town, Barnet FC, and Oxford City, and attendance peaks at fixtures involving clubs with larger followings, for instance Chester FC and Stockport County. Historical analysis often references promotion-winning points totals, longest unbeaten runs, and managerial milestones linked to figures who later managed in the English Football League, such as Paul Tisdale, Dave Challinor, and Darren Ferguson.
The divisions operate under the governance of the National League board and the Football Association's National League System regulations, with oversight from committees including the FA Council and regional county associations like the Lancashire FA and the Surrey FA. Financial regulation, licensing and club compliance draw on frameworks established by the Football Association and mirror elements of oversight used by the English Football League and UEFA licensing in broader contexts. Clubs are subject to disciplinary procedures adjudicated by panels informed by precedents from competitions such as the FA Cup and domestic disciplinary case law.
Media rights and coverage encompass local and national newspapers (for example The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun), digital broadcasters, club streaming platforms and highlight packages syndicated through partners formerly including BT Sport and newer streaming services. Sponsorship deals over the years have included league-wide partners and individual club sponsors linked to regional businesses and national brands; such commercial arrangements have involved naming rights negotiations similar to deals seen in the English Football League and wider sport sponsorship markets. Social media engagement leverages platforms and official club channels used by organisations such as BBC Sport and local radio stations to reach supporters.