Guide to the Non-League Pyramid

Here is BBC Sport's guide to the National League System - also commonly known as the "Pyramid".

The senior non-league divisions in England administered by the Football Association, are often known as Football's "Pyramid" - as each level (or "Step") below the Football League comprises an increasing number of divisions and clubs.

Promotion at all levels within the National League System is subject to FA Ground Grading requirements as well as other rules and requirements of the various leagues.

Click here for the FA's statement on Step 1-4 league allocations for 2012/13

FA OFFICIAL WEBSITE: FA Ground Grading requirements

STEP ONE

Blue Square Bet Premier (aka Conference Premier) - 24 clubs
Full coverage including club-by-club indexes

Results

Fixtures

Table

Official league sites:

Blue Square Football

Football Conference

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Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Football League Two. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom four clubs automatically relegated to Blue Square Bet North or South (can be either depending on geographic spread of clubs).

STEP TWO

(FA Ground Grading Category B is required)

Blue Square Bet North (aka Conference North) - 22 clubs
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Official league sites:

Blue Square Football

Football Conference

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Blue Square Bet Premier. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom three clubs automatically relegated to Step Three leagues.

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Blue Square Bet South (aka Conference South) - 22 clubs
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Official league sites:

Blue Square Football

Football Conference

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Blue Square Bet Premier. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom three clubs automatically relegated to Step Three leagues.

STEP THREE

(FA Ground Grading Category C is required)

Ryman Premier Division (aka Isthmian Premier Division) - 22 clubs

Official league site
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Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Two leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom four clubs automatically relegated to Step Four leagues.

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Evo-Stik Northern Premier (aka Northern Premier Division) - 22 clubs

Official league site
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Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Two leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom four clubs automatically relegated to Step Four leagues.

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Evo-Stik Southern Premier (aka Southern League Premier Division) - 22 clubs

Official league site
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Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Two leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom four clubs automatically relegated to Step Four leagues.

STEP FOUR

(FA Ground Grading Category E is required for clubs seeking promotion from Step Five. Clubs have to achieve Category D no later than 31 March in the season following promotion)

Ryman Division One North (aka Isthmian Division One North) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

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Ryman Division One South (aka Isthmian Division One South) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

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Evo-Stik Division One North
(aka Northern Premier Division One North) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

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Evo-Stik Division One South
(aka Northern Premier Division One South) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

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Evo-Stik Southern Division One Midlands
(aka Southern League Division One Midlands) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

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Evo-Stik Southern Division One South & West
(aka Southern League Division One South & West) - 22 clubs

Promotion: Champions automatically promoted to Step Three leagues. Next four teams play off for the second promotion place.
Relegation: Bottom two clubs automatically relegated to Step Five leagues.

STEP FIVE

(FA Ground Grading Category F is required)

Baker Joiner Midland Football Alliance
Baris Northern Counties East League Premier Division
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Premier Division
ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division
Essex Senior League
Kent Hurlimann Football League Premier Division
Molten Spartan South Midlands Premier Division
North West Counties League Premier Division
Ridgeons (Eastern Counties) League Premier Division
STL Northern League Division One
Sussex County League Division One
Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division
Toolstation Western League Premier Division
Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division

Promotion: Clubs must have applied to the Football Association for promotion to Step Four for the 2012/13 season by 31 December 2011, must then pass ground grading requirements (Grade E by 31 March 2012), and must finish in the top two places in their league to be eligible for promotion. If there are more clubs applying than places available, priority is given to champion clubs.

FA OFFICIAL WEBSITE: FA statement on the 63 teams applying for promotion to Step Four for 2012/13

Relegation: Subject to agreements beween Step Five and Step Six leagues, as approved by the FA.

The FA is currently reviewing the structure of Steps Five and Six, with the aim of reducing the number of Step Five leagues from 14 to 12 - here is an update on the review, which is due to take effect from the start of the 2013/14 season.

STEP SIX

(FA Ground Grading Category G is required)

Athium Midland Football Combination Premier Division
Baris Northern Counties East League Division One
Carlsberg South West Peninsula Football League Premier
Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Division One
ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Division One
East Midlands Counties Football League
Kent Invicta Football League
Molten Spartan South Midlands Division One
North West Counties League Division One
Ridgeons (Eastern Counties) League Division One
STL Northern League Division Two
Sussex County League Division Two
Sydenhams Wessex League Division One
Toolstation Western League Division One
Uhlsport Hellenic League Division One East
Uhlsport Hellenic League Division One West
West Midlands Regional League Premier Division

Promotion: Subject to agreements between Step Five and Step Six leagues, as approved by the FA, and subject to ground grading.

Relegation: Subject to agreements between Step Six and Step Seven leagues, as approved by the FA.

The FA is currently reviewing the structure of Steps Five and Six, with the aim of reducing the number of Step Five leagues from 14 to 12 - here is an update on the review, which is due to take effect from the start of the 2013/14 season.

STEP SEVEN

Anglian Combination Premier
Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester Football League Premier Division
Brighton, Hove & District Football League Premier Division
Carlsberg South West Peninsula Football League Division One East
Carlsberg South West Peninsula Football League Division One West
Cherry Red Books Middlesex County Football League Premier Division
Cheshire Football League Division One
ChromaSport & Trophies Peterborough & District Football League Premier Division
David Wilson Homes Gloucestershire County Football League
Dorset Premier League
East Berkshire Football League Premier Division
Everards Brewery Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division
Gray Hooper Holt LLP Mid-Sussex Football League Premier Division
Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division
Ian Hart Funeral Service Worthing & District Football League Premier Division
Imosports Midland Football Combination Division One
Kent Blaxill Essex & Suffolk Border Football League Premier Division
Kershaw Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division
Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich Football League Senior Division
Live4soccer East Sussex Football League Premier Division
Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division
MDH Teamwear Northamptonshire Combination Premier Division
Molten Spartan South Midlands Division Two
North Berkshire Football League Division One
Oxfordshire Senior Football League Premier Division
Peter Smith Recruitment Northampton Town Football League Premier Division
Pin Point Recruitment Northern Football Alliance Premier Division
Plaister Auto Services Wiltshire Football League Premier Division
Prokit UK Essex Olympian Football League
Puma Engineering Hampshire Premier League
Reading Football League Senior Division
Somerset County League Premier Division
Sports 360 West Lancashire Football League Premier Division
Sportsform Bedfordshire Football League Premier Division
Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division
Sussex County League Division Three
Vandanel Kent County Football League Premier Division
Wearside Football League
West Cheshire Amateur Football League Division One
West Midlands Regional League Division One
West Sussex Football League Premier Division
Windsor Foodservice Central Midlands League North Division
Windsor Foodservice Central Midlands League South Division

Promotion: Subject to agreements between Step Six and Step Seven leagues, as approved by the FA, and subject to ground grading.

Relegation: Subject to agreements between Step Seven leagues and their feeder leagues within county associations, as approved by the FA.