2025-26 Club Allocations For NCEL Released By The FA
- Lewis Middleton
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The club allocations by The FA for the 2025/26 season across the National League System have been announced, subject to appeals and amendments.
And, as always, there are plenty of hellos, goodbyes and welcome backs to the NCEL in both of the Premier Division and Division One.
The Premier Division increases by one team to 21 as three sides return to the competition from higher Steps.
Liversedge and Sheffield are relegated from the Northern Premier League whilst Farsley Celtic move down from National League North following their failure to be awarded a Step 1 to 4 License.
Our two promoted sides, Silsden AFC and Hallam, move up into the Northern Premier League and their places are taken by Horbury Town and Wombwell Town who come up from Division One.
Goole AFC and Winterton Rangers' relegation to Division One has been confirmed whilst we welcome four new sides who will join them from elsewhere.
Route One Rovers move across into the NCEL for the first time from the North West Counties League whilst coming up from the Feeder Leagues are Crowle Colts, Leeds UFCA and, subject to confirmation of their final points total, Doncaster City.
Yorkshire Amateur are relegated to the Feeder Leagues after they finished bottom of the table but there are reprieves for the other two sides who ended up in the Division One drop zone.
Appleby Frodingham remain with us whilst Dronfield Town are one of two teams who are moved across to the United Counties League, the other being Swallownest.
All of that movement means that, with Shelley announcing their resignation from the National League System, Division One remains at 22 teams for next season.
2025/26 CLUB ALLOCATIONS (subject to appeals and amendments)
NCEL PREMIER DIVISION
1. Albion Sports
2. Barton Town
3. Beverley Town
4. Bottesford Town
5. Campion
6. Eccleshill United
7. Farsley Celtic (from National League North)*
8. Frickley Athletic
9. Golcar United
10. Handsworth
11. Horbury Town (from Division One)
12. Knaresborough Town
13. Liversedge (from Northern Premier League)
14. Parkgate
15. Penistone Church
16. Pickering Town
17. Rossington Main
18. Sheffield (from Northern Premier League)
19. Tadcaster Albion
20. Thackley
21. Wombwell Town (from Division One)
NCEL DIVISION ONE
1. Appleby Frodingham
2. Armthorpe Welfare
3. Athersley Recreation
4. Brigg Town
5. Club Thorne Colliery
6. Crowle Colts (from Lincolnshire League)
7. Dearne & District
8. Doncaster City (from Central Midlands League)**
9. Glasshoughton Welfare
10. Goole AFC (from Premier Division)
11. Harrogate Railway Athletic
12. Ilkley Town
13. Leeds UFCA (from Yorkshire Amateur League)
14. Louth Town
15. Maltby Main
16. Nostell Miners Welfare
17. Route One Rovers (from North West Counties League)
18. Selby Town
19. South Leeds
20. Wakefield AFC
21. Winterton Rangers (from Premier Division)
22. Worsbrough Bridge Athletic
* Farsley Celtic FC placed at Step 5 owing to failure to be awarded a Step 1 to 4 License.
** Placement is subject to confirmation of the Clubs' final points total.
Teams leaving NCEL: Dronfield Town (to United Counties League), Hallam (to Northern Premier League), Shelley (resigned from NLS), Silsden AFC (to Northern Premier League), Swallownest (to United Counties League), Yorkshire Amateur (to Feeder Leagues).
Any changes to these allocations will be announced over the next few weeks before being rubber-stamped at the NCEL's AGM that takes place at Rotherham United FC on Saturday 14th June, 2025.