Football Association Announce New Promotion & Relegation Regulations

The Football Association have released details of the promotion and relegation regulations for 2021/22 season across the non-League Pyramid.

The National League falls outside of the FA regulations so they will continue to provide two promoted clubs for League Two, with one going up as champions and the other via a six-team play-off competition.

Three clubs will be relegated into the National League North and South divisions.

Those two divisions will follow the same route for promotion into the National League and three clubs from each Step 2 division will be relegated into Step 3.

At Step 3 and below, the following regulations will be in place:

Step 3 (Four Divisions including the Southern Premier Central and Premier South)

Two clubs promoted per division (one as champions, one via a four-team play-off)

Four clubs relegated per division.

Step 4 (Eight Divisions including the Southern Division One Central and Division One South)

Two clubs promoted per division (one as champions, one via a four-team play-off)

Two clubs automatically relegated per division – and third and fourth bottom will host a Step 5 runner-up in a promotion/relegation play-off.

Step 5 (16 Divisions)

One club promoted automatically per division and the runners-up will face an away tie at a third or fourth bottom-placed Step 4 club in a promotion/relegation play-off.

Two clubs per division will be relegated into Step 6.

Step 6 (17 divisions)

One club promoted automatically per division, and one will be promoted via a four-team play-off.

Three clubs will be liable for relegation into Step 7 if there are clubs eligible for promotion.