2025-26 FA League Allocations Announced

Thu 15th May 2025 | Announcements | By Ben Wilkinson

The FA Leagues Committee have confirmed the League Allocations for the 2025-26 season, with the teams now provisionally known for the Premier Division, First Division North and First Division South.

Premier Division

The big news in the Premier Division is that we will once again be running with a 24 team division, for the third season in a row. As known, we lose Bury and Lower Breck, who were both promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One West, plus Colne and Squires Gate who have been relegated to Step 6.

Replacing them are two sides from the NPL Division One West and two promoted sides from the First Division North; City of Liverpool return to the NWCFL after a six-year absence while we welcome Wythenshawe FC back after a one-year stay at Step 4. First Division North Champions Atherton Laburnum Rovers and Play-Off winners Euxton Villa both take their place in the Premier Division in 2025/26.

As expected, First Division South Champions Winsford United and Play-Off winners Abbey Hulton United have both been laterally moved into the Midland League and will play in their Premier Division next season. Good luck to all involved with both clubs.

First Division North

The First Division North will once again run with 18 clubs. As mentioned above, Colne and Squires Gate will be at Step 6 next season and they have both dropped into the First Division North. Joining them will be Fulwood Amateurs, who have won promotion from the West Lancashire League and make their NWCFL debut. Fulwood are based in north Preston and finished 4th in the West Lancashire Premier Division in 2024/25. 

All teams across Step 6 finishing second and third bottom were given reprieves, so Garstang and Route One Rovers remain at Step 6. However, Route One Rovers have been laterally moved to the Northern Counties East League while bottom-placed Skelmersdale United have been relegated from Step 6; we wish both clubs well in their new leagues.

Also in the North Division next season are Cheadle Heath Nomads, who have been laterally moved across from the First Division South.

First Division South

We will have one additional club amongst our ranks compared to 2024/25 as the First Division South has been allocated 19 clubs, up from 18 last year. Three clubs have been promoted into this division; MSB Woolton join us from the Liverpool County Premier Division after winning that league in 2024/25 - their first team currently groundshare at South Liverpool's Jericho Lane.

Also promoted from the Regional Feeder Leagues are Haughmond, who finished 3rd in the Salop Leisure Football League last season and return to the National League System after a two-year absence. They play their home games at Shrewsbury Sports Village, a facility to the north-east of the town.

Last but not least are Telford Town, who won promotion by virtue of winning the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division in 2024/25. The club were previously known as Wellington Amateurs and this will be thier first foray into Step 6. They play in the north of Telford, just off the M54 at the Key Worker Nation Stadium.

Joining us from the other direction are Wolverhampton Casuals, who finished bottom of the Midland League Premier Division and have been relegated to Step 6. Their home ground, the Brinsford Stadium, is located roughly 7 miles west of Wolverhampton Sporting Community.

As mentioned above, all teams finishing second and third bottom were reprieved so Foley Meir and Shawbury United remain at Step 6. Some bottom-placed clubs with a good PPG record have also been handed a reprieve, including Wolverhampton Sporting Community, who remain in the First Division South. As above, Cheadle Heath Nomads have been transferred from the South Division to the North.

Notes 

All allocations are subject to appeals; the constitution will be ratified at the League AGM on 21 June 2025. The full initial allocations for the NWCFL can be seen below.