All 72 football clubs in the National League have taken the unprecedented step of supporting a letter to the English Football League (EFL) Board requesting a vote to create three promotion places into their league. Specifically, the National League is calling for an amendment to the EFL regulations to allow “two-up” to become “three-up” in line with the rest of the football pyramid. They are asking for this change in time for the forthcoming 2025-26 season.
This marks the start of a new, nationwide 3UP campaign which has been launched by the National League to help secure the future of the English football pyramid for generations to come. At present the National League is the only ‘Step’ in the higher echelons of the football pyramid that doesn’t have at least three promotion places.
During an Extraordinary General Meeting of National League clubs on Thursday 30 January 2025, senior representatives from across the three divisions (National League, National League North and National League South) unanimously agreed to collectively approach the EFL and launch a campaign that will Put Football First.
The EFL alone has the ability to facilitate this change, and the National League hopes that they will respond to 3UP by scheduling - and supporting - a vote of their clubs on this issue at their Annual General Meeting in June this year.
It was also decided by all 72 National League clubs that the timing is right for the game to Put Football First and it has to be immediate, not least given that 2025 is the year that the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) is scheduled to come into force. Whilst the IFR’s scope does not cover promotion and relegation matters, its overall remit does encompass the National League and EFL.
On the matter, Manager Steve Cotterill said: "I would've probably been asked a similar question around 25 years ago whilst at Cheltenham - I thought there were some really good clubs in the Conference as it was then - and now in the National League.
"When you look at the stadiums and the surfaces - there will be some really well run clubs in the National League. At the time I was an advocate of it, and I'm not just an advocate of it now I'm with Forest Green.
"I think it will freshen up the whole pyramid because it's really tough in the National League, North or South with some of the travelling that is required.
"I was an advocate of it then so nothing would change with that for me."
