The National League is the fifth tier of the English football pyramid and also the highest level of the Non-League system.
Reaching the Football League and competing in League Two is the aim of all clubs in the National League.
The 2025/26 campaign marked one of the most thrilling title battles in recent memory, as York City and Rochdale both surpassed the 100-point mark before the Minstermen ultimately secured top spot following a dramatic finish on the final day.
Despite missing out on an automatic place Rochdale did secure their return to the Football League via the play-offs after beating Boreham Wood on penalties at Wembley.
Dates
The National League 2026/27 commenced on 8th August 2026, with the final round of fixtures set to take place on 24th April 2027.
Teams & stadiums
Team | Stadium | Capacity |
AFC Fylde | Mill Farm Sports Village | 6,000 |
Aldershot Town | The Recreation Ground | 7,100 |
Altrincham | Moss Lane | 7,700 |
Barrow | Holker Street | 6,500 |
Boreham Wood | Meadow Park | 4,500 |
Boston United | Boston Community Stadium | 5,061 |
Carlisle United | Brunton Park | 17,949 |
Eastleigh | Ten Acres | 5,250 |
FC Halifax Town | The Shay | 10,400 |
Forest Green Rovers | The New Lawn | 5,147 |
Gateshead | Gateshead International Stadium | 11,800 |
Harrogate Town | Wetherby Road | 5,000 |
Hartlepool United | Victoria Park | 7,856 |
Hornchurch | Hornchurch Stadium | 3,500 |
Kidderminster Harriers | Aggborough Stadium | 6,444 |
Scunthorpe United | Glanford Park | 9,088 |
Solihull Moors | Damson Park | 5,500 |
Southend United | Roots Hall | 12,392 |
Sutton United | Gander Green Lane | 5,013 |
Tamworth | The Lamb Ground | 4,565 |
Wealdstone | Grosvenor Vale | 4,085 |
Woking | Kingfield Stadium | 6,036 |
Worthing | Woodside Road | 4,000 |
Yeovil Town | Huish Park | 9,566 |
Format
A total of 24 teams compete in the National League, but with only one automatic promotion position available to the champions, it is one of the most notoriously difficult leagues to secure promotion from.
The sides that finish second to seventh do still have a chance of securing promotion to the EFL via the play-offs, with the teams that end the regular campaign between fourth and seventh entering at the quarter-final stage, with fourth hosting seventh and fifth entertaining sixth in one-off ties.
The winners of the two quarter-final ties progress to the play-off semi-finals where the teams that finished the regular season in second and third enter the equation, with those higher-ranked sides having the luxury of playing at home.
Whichever teams prevail from those semi-final ties then meet in the final at Wembley, where the winner will secure promotion to League Two.
At the other end of the table there are also relegation positions to fill, with the bottom four teams in the final standings dropping down to either the National League North or South, depending on their geographical location.
Previous winners
Barnet are the most successful club in National League history, clinching a record-breaking fourth fifth-tier honour in the 2024/25 campaign to book their return to the Football League.
York City lifted the trophy for the first time in the 2025/26 campaign, topping the standings with a remarkable 108 points.
Click here to read the full list of National League winners over the years.
Transfer Record
Josh Stones leads the way as the most expensive signing in National League history, joining York City from Wigan Athletic for a league-record £370k in January 2025.
Behind Stones in the list is Ollie Palmer, who became Wrexham's record signing when joining from Wimbledon for £300k in 2022.
Click here to read the top five National League record transfers.
