National League (English football)

National League

Founded	1979; 45 years ago (1979) (as Alliance Premier League) 2004; 20 years ago (2004) (North & South)
Country	England
Divisions	National League National League North National League South
Number of teams	72
Promotion to	EFL
Relegation to	Northern Premier League Premier Division Isthmian League Premier Division Southern League Premier Divisions
Domestic cup(s)	FA Cup FA Trophy
League cup(s)	National League Cup
Current champions	Chesterfield (National League) Tamworth (North) Yeovil Town (South) (2023–24)
TV partners	DAZN
Website	thenationalleague.org.uk
Current: 2024–25 National League

The National League is a professional Association football league in England that consists of 72 teams, divided equally between the National League (division), National League North and National League South . The National League is one of the major professional sports leagues in England.

It was called the "Alliance Premier League" from 1979 until 1986. Between 1986 and 2015, the league was known as the "Football Conference".^[1]

Most National League clubs are fully professional (only three are not in the 2023–24 lineup), while a growing number of National League North and National League South clubs are also professional. Some professional clubs were previously in the English Football League (EFL), as opposed to clubs that have always been non-League. The National League is the lowest of the five nationwide professional football divisions in England, below the Premier League and the three divisions of the EFL, and is the top tier of the National League System of non-League football. The National League North and National League South form the sixth tier of professional English football. The National League consisted of only one division until 2004, but expanded as part of an extensive restructuring of the National League System beginning with the 2004–05 season.