FA Committee Cancel 2 National League Divisions With Promotion & Relegation Up in the Air

Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System have been cancelled with immediate effect, with a decision over promotion and relegation still to be made.

This decision will affect over 30 different leagues across the country.

As confirmed by the Non-League Paper, the FA Leagues Committee still need to make a final decision over how promotion and relegation will work this season.

As things stand there is a possibility that the season could be made null and void, meaning there would be no promotion or relegation. Alternatively, it could be decided on a Points Per Game (PPG) basis.

The National League System consists of seven different levels of the English football system, including those just below the four professional divisions.

A statement from the Essex Senior League, following confirmation from the FA, read: "Following on from the pre-arranged Webex meeting today with the FA and our colleagues in Step 5/6 leagues, The FA have confirmed that the season 2019/20 must end immediately.

"The consensus was there is no option of any football being played for the rest of this season due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Even if the FA were to extend, it wasn't going to be possible to complete remaining games, also subject to being allowed to socialise by May.

"The FA League Committee are to determine the terms of that conclusion which seems at present to be a 50:50 split between PPG promotion/relegation or complete Null and Void of the 2019/20 season.

"That decision is not the leagues to make but the FA Leagues Committee.

"Once a decision is conveyed to the Leagues it will be consistent across the NLS system - if null and void is the FA decision there will be NO promotion or relegation for 2019/20 season."

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