How do promotion and relegation work in the National League?

The National League has one of the most dramatic promotion and relegation systems in football, making it extremely difficult to break into the EFL.

Unlike the EFL, only two sides can achieve promotion to League Two, meaning there is little margin for error at the top of the fifth tier.

The jeopardy is equally as high at the opposite end of the table, with four teams suffering relegation every season to either National League North or National League South.

Here, DAZN News breaks down how promotion and relegation work in the National League.

How National League promotion works

Automatic promotion

Only the team that finishes top of the National League can be automatically promoted to League Two, with positions second to seventh having to settle for the play-offs.

Last term, Barnet finished top of the pile on 102 points, clinching the fourth National League title in their history. The Bees also tasted glory in the 1990-91, 2004-05 and 2014-15 seasons.

The highest ever points achieved in a National League season was by Phil Parkinson's Wrexham (111) in the 2022-23 campaign.

• Read next I Which teams have won the most National League titles?

Last five National League champions

Promotion through the play-offs

While the teams finishing second to seventh qualify for the National League play-offs, they face different routes to the play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

The clubs that finish fourth to seventh clash in the play-off quarter-finals, while those that finish in second and third enter in the semi-finals.

Then, the system works like the EFL play-offs, with the two semi-final victors meeting at the home of football in May.

Last season, Oldham Athletic (5th) were promoted via the play-offs despite finishing three places and 23 points behind York City.

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How National League relegation works

Number of teams relegated

The bottom four teams finishing 21st to 24th in the National League are relegated at the end of the season.

In the 2024-25 campaign, Ebbsfleet United, AFC Fylde, Maidenhead United and Dagenham & Redbridge went down, with just a point separating the teams that finished 20th and 22nd.

Where do the relegated sides go?

The relegated sides are demoted to either the National League North or National League South, depending on their geography.

If four northern clubs were relegated from the fifth tier, then the FA's National League System (NLS) committee would decide on exact placements, with Midlands teams the ones to shift divisions if required.

What is the 3UP campaign?

The 3UP campaign is a nationwide effort by the National League to increase the number of promotion places in the fifth tier from two to three.

Launched in February 2025, the campaign argues that having a third team promoted would bring the National League in line with the EFL, making the system fair for the clubs involved.

York City's strife last season was a prime example of how unfair the current format is for fifth-tier teams. The Minstermen endured an unsuccessful play-off campaign despite finishing second and 23 points ahead of the team that was promoted.

All 72 clubs in the National League system, including those in the National League North and National League South, support the campaign as well as the teams in the Isthmian, Northern, and Southern Premier Leagues.

Legendary sports broadcaster Jeff Stelling MBE is the 3UP campaign ambassador, with some Members of Parliament also supporting the cause.

How to watch The National League exclusively on DAZN

You can watch the whole of the 2025-26 season with a National League TV DAZN subscription at a special offer price of £79.99! 

Every game in the National League, and selected matches in National League North and National League South, is available on DAZN, either live and/or on-demand*. That's over 600 games all in one place.

NLTV on DAZN is available on any device, including Smart TVs, mobile devices, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles, and, for viewers in the UK, your Sky box.

If you do not have the App already then just follow these instructions....

• Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device
• On a laptop or PC, visit www.DAZN.com/home
• Select 'Get started' or 'log in'
• Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options
• You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the Matchroom boxing channel, LIV Golf and FIFA+
• Then find the National League page and click 'buy now'

For more information and to sign up, head here now.

*3pm Saturday kick-offs subject to TV blackout restrictions, but available to watch later on Saturday on-demand