National League '3UP' campaign seeks additional promotion place

We explore the National League's campaign to allow three promotion places to the EFL by the end of the 2025/26 season.

What is the National League's '3UP' campaign?

The 72 teams in the National League, National League North and National League South have joined together to launch a new '3UP' campaign which would increase the number of teams achieving promotion from the National League from two to three.

At the moment, only the National League winner and play-off winners are granted promotion to League Two and only two teams from League Two are relegated to the National League.

This proposal would bring National League promotion in line with the EFL, with three promotion places up for grabs for teams in the Championship, League One and League Two and three relegation spots.

National League bosses argue an additional promotion berth is necessary to maintain sporting integrity at non-league level given the ever-increasing competitiveness of the division.

A March 2025 survey from the Football Supporters' Association has revealed that an overwhelming majority of 92.5% of 1,980 polled fans backed the National League's '3UP' campaign.

History of National League promotion places

There has been some progress made in relation to increasing the number of promotion places from the National League, as up until 1987 there was no promotion at all from this tier.

The number of promotion places from the National League increased from one to two in 2003 - with the league champions and play-off winners being promoted - and this structure has remained in place until the present day.

When could the '3UP' proposal take effect?

If the National League's '3UP' proposal is accepted, the hope is that three clubs from England's fifth tier could be promoted to League Two at the end of the 2025/26 season.