<p>The English soccer league system is the oldest in the world and covers more than 140 leagues containing over 480 divisions.</p> <p>Started in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor with just 12 clubs, it has grown into a massive interconnected structure where promotion and relegation link every level.</p> <p>What makes this system unique is simple: any club can (theoretically, at least) rise from the bottom to the very top through on-field performance. It happens rarely and requires serious investment, but the pathway exists.</p> <p>The pyramid officially extends to Level 11, with unofficial leagues continuing below that. In some densely populated areas, there are 20+ layers of soccer beneath the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league">English Premier League</a>.</p> <p>British and Irish racing fans will notice a big difference here compared to horse racing - especially since there are no invite-only events or entry restrictions based on prestige. Every position must be earned each season through league performance.</p> <p>If you're learning <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/premier-league-betting-guide">how to bet on the EPL</a>, this article will explain how teams reach the world's toughest soccer league and why even the smallest towns can dream of playing in it someday.</p> <h2>Understanding Levels and Steps</h2> <p>The system uses two terms that can confuse people:</p> <p>Levels (1-11+) refer to the tier hierarchy from top to bottom.</p> <p>Steps (1-7) refer to the National League System structure used in semi-professional and amateur tiers.</p> <p>A league can be at Level 9 but Step 5 of the National League System. From Level 5 downward, the structure follows a 1-2-4-8-16 formation, expanding geographically as you go down.</p> <h3>Level 1: Premier League</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 20</li> <li>Status: Fully Professional</li> <li>Founded: 1992</li> </ul> <p>The Premier League is broadcast in 212 countries to 643 million homes with a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people. It generates massive revenue, creating a huge financial gap between the top tier and everything below.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Top 4 qualify for UEFA Champions League</li> <li>Bottom 3 relegated to Championship</li> </ul> <p>The gap is so large that relegated clubs receive parachute payments (introduced 2006) - broadcasting revenue spread over three years to help manage the financial drop.</p> <p>Manchester City have dominated recently with five titles in six years. Manchester United hold the overall Premier League record with 13 titles since 1992.</p> <p>If you want to know more about the history of this impressive league, here’s the list of <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/soccer/soccer-news/epl-winners-by-year">EPL winners by year</a> with interesting facts about all the best teams that have lifted the trophy until Liverpool’s triumph in 2025.</p> <h3>Level 2: Championship</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 24</li> <li>Status: Fully Professional</li> <li>Founded: 2004</li> </ul> <p>The Championship is where the money gets serious. Clubs collectively lost £314 million in 2023-24, with many spending heavily to chase Premier League promotion.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Top 2 automatically promoted to Premier League</li> <li>Places 3-6 compete in playoffs for third promotion spot</li> <li>Bottom 3 relegated to League One</li> </ul> <p>The financial pressure here is intense, especially since many clubs overspend and end up in serious financial trouble if promotion doesn't come.</p> <h3>Level 3: League One</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 24</li> <li>Status: Fully Professional</li> </ul> <p>The third tier is where fallen Premier League clubs mix with ambitious sides working their way up. Portsmouth, who won the FA Cup in 2008, spent time in this division after financial problems.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Top 2 automatically promoted to Championship</li> <li>Places 3-6 compete in playoffs for third spot</li> <li>Bottom 4 relegated to League Two</li> </ul> <h3>Level 4: League Two</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 24</li> <li>Status: Fully Professional</li> </ul> <p>The lowest fully professional tier. Clubs here are still full-time operations with professional wages and infrastructure.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Top 3 automatically promoted to League One</li> <li>Places 4-7 compete in playoffs for fourth spot</li> <li>Bottom 2 relegated to National League</li> </ul> <p>Wrexham set a League Two revenue record of £26.7 million during their 2023-24 campaign in this division, which gives you an idea of how much Hollywood investment changed the financial landscape.</p> <h3>Level 5: National League (Step 1)</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 24</li> <li>Status: Semi-Professional (though many operate full-time)</li> </ul> <p>This is the top of non-league soccer in England. Many clubs spend years trying to get out of this division. The National League is notoriously difficult to escape, with only one automatic promotion spot available.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Winner automatically promoted to League Two</li> <li>Places 2-3 go straight to playoff semi-finals</li> <li>Places 4-7 compete in quarter-finals for remaining spots</li> <li>Bottom 4 relegated to National League North/South</li> </ul> <p>Wrexham spent 15 years stuck in this division with five failed playoff campaigns before winning the title in 2022-23 with 111 points.</p> <p>They went on to achieve something unprecedented - three consecutive promotions from 2023 to 2025, becoming the first team ever to do this in English soccer's top five divisions. They'll play in the Championship in 2025-26, their first time in the second tier for 42 years.</p> <p>The club was bought by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for around £2 million in 2021. It's now valued at over £150 million, though the owners have reportedly lost around £20 million funding the rise.</p> <h3>Level 6: National League North &amp; South (Step 2)</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 22 in each division (44 total)</li> <li>Status: Semi-Professional</li> </ul> <p>Two parallel competitions split geographically. Teams get assigned based on location. If promotions and relegations create uneven numbers, clubs get transferred between the two divisions to balance things out.</p> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Winner of each division automatically promoted to National League</li> <li>Places 2-7 in each division compete in playoffs (4 teams total promoted)</li> <li>Bottom 4 in each division relegated to Level 7</li> </ul> <h3>Level 7: Regional Premier Divisions (Step 3)</h3> <ul> <li>Clubs: 88 total across 4 leagues (22 per league)</li> <li>Status: Semi-Professional</li> </ul> <p>Four leagues covering different regions:</p> <ul> <li>Northern Premier League Premier Division</li> <li>Southern soccer League Premier Central</li> <li>Southern soccer League Premier South</li> <li>Isthmian League Premier Division</li> </ul> <p>Promotion/Relegation:</p> <ul> <li>Champions automatically promoted</li> <li>Places 2-5 compete in playoffs, winners then paired geographically for two promotion spots total</li> <li>Bottom 3 from each division relegated</li> </ul> <h3>Level 8: Step 4 Regional Leagues</h3> <p>16 divisions across various regional leagues. Champions get automatic promotion with playoff systems determining additional spots.</p> <h3>Level 9: Step 5 Leagues</h3> <p>Following FA restructuring in 2024-25, this level now has consistent promotion and relegation rules across all divisions.</p> <p>Major leagues at this level include:</p> <ul> <li>Combined Counties League Premier Division North &amp; South</li> <li>Eastern Counties League Premier Division</li> <li>Hellenic League Premier Division</li> <li>Midland soccer League Premier Division</li> <li>North West Counties League Premier Division</li> <li>Northern Counties East League Premier Division</li> <li>Northern League Division One</li> <li>Southern Combination soccer League Premier Division</li> <li>Southern Counties East League Premier Division</li> <li>Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division</li> <li>United Counties League Premier Division North &amp; South</li> <li>Wessex League Premier Division</li> <li>Western League Premier Division</li> </ul> <h3>Levels 10-11: County and Local Leagues (Steps 6-7)</h3> <p>Increasingly localized leagues, often organized by county soccer associations. Examples include:</p> <ul> <li>Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division</li> <li>Hampshire Premier League Senior Division</li> <li>Manchester League Premier Division</li> <li>Bedfordshire County soccer League Premier Division</li> <li>Essex Olympian League Premier Division</li> <li>And many more</li> </ul> <p>Below Level 11, there are no official definitions, but leagues continue through county and local divisions. In some areas, the pyramid goes 20+ layers deep.</p> <h2>The Cup Competitions</h2> <p>FA Cup: The oldest cup competition in the world (1871). All levels of the pyramid can enter, which occasionally produces giant-killings when lower league clubs beat Premier League sides.</p> <p>EFL Cup (Carabao Cup): Restricted to the 92 clubs in the top four tiers.</p> <p>FA Trophy: For semi-professional clubs in Steps 1-4 of the National League System.</p> <p>FA Vase: For clubs in Steps 5-6 of the National League System.</p> <h2>Key Facts and Figures</h2> <ul> <li>92 clubs in the top four professional tiers</li> <li>640+ clubs in the National League System (Levels 5-11)</li> <li>140+ individual leagues</li> <li>480+ divisions</li> <li>Thousands of clubs competing across all levels</li> <li>System connects 24 divisions via promotion/relegation from Level 1 to Level 7</li> </ul> <h2>What Makes This Different</h2> <p>Unlike closed league systems in American sports or the now-defunct ‘Super League’ promoted by the likes of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus, every position must be earned each season. No club has a guaranteed spot based on franchise rights or historical status.</p> <p>Several Welsh clubs compete in the English system, including Wrexham, Swansea, and Cardiff. This happens because these teams were founded before the Welsh soccer league existed and stayed in the English structure.</p> <p>The financial stakes, obviously, create problems; clubs overspend chasing promotion and sometimes go into administration or collapse entirely. The theoretical possibility of rising from bottom to top exists, but the practical reality requires enormous investment.</p> <h2>Recent Changes</h2> <p>The pyramid underwent major restructuring in 2021, creating the current 1-2-4-8-16 formation from Level 5 downward. This provided more clarity and consistency across the National League System.</p> <p>There have been discussions about adding B teams from Premier League clubs to the pyramid, but this remains highly controversial and hasn't been implemented.</p>