Last updated : Friday, 28 June 2024
Introduction
Division 5 is the fifth tier of the English football league system. It is also known as the National League. The league is fed by the rest of the teams in English football and the winners of this league are automatically promoted to League Two while the next six teams compete for the other promotion spot via the playoffs.
History
The National League was founded in 2004 as the Football Conference. It was renamed to the National League in 2015. The league has been won by a total of 14 clubs, with Maidstone United being the most successful team with 3 titles.
Format
The National League consists of 24 teams. The teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. The top two teams are automatically promoted to League Two, while the next six teams compete for the remaining promotion spot via the playoffs. The bottom four teams are relegated to the Northern Premier League Premier Division or the Southern League Premier Division depending on their geographical location.
Current season
The current season of the National League is the 2022-23 season. The season began on 6 August 2022 and is scheduled to end on 30 April 2023. The current champions are Stockport County.