O sistema de ligas do futebol da Inglaterra é uma série de ligas interconectadas em que se baseia o futebol nesse país. Originalmente, o sistema deveria abranger todo o Reino Unido. No entanto, apenas clubes ingleses e um pequeno número de clubes galeses (5) participam. Guernsey, Jersey e Ilha de Man são representadas por um time
No topo está a Premier League, uma liga de uma única divisão com vinte clubes. Embaixo está a English Football League, que é dividida em três divisões de 24 clubes. Esses 72 clubes são todos inteiramente profissionais. Confusamente, refere-se aos 92 clubes como clubes da liga, porque no passado havia apenas uma liga de 92 times e 4 divisões, antes da Premiership ser fundada em 1992. Os clubes fora desse grupo são chamados de "non-league" (de fora da liga), apesar de jogarem seu futebol em competições de liga.
Os clubes que não estão nessas 4 divisões principais do futebol inglês se dividem em várias outras divisões: National League (5ª divisão), National League North e National League South (6ª divisão), e uma série de outros campeonatos que compõem as demais divisões do futebol inglês. No total, existem mais de 140 ligas individuais na pirâmide, contabilizando mais de 480 divisões.[1] Em maio de 2014, a The Football Association anunciou planos provisórios de uma divisão entre a English Football League e a National League, que incluiria times B das equipes de nível superior, mas desistiu de colocar equipes reservas da Premier League[2] e arquivou o projeto.[3]
Cada liga, a partir da 5ª divisão tem suas próprias regras, mas todas têm algo em comum: têm ligas abaixo dela, cada uma cobrindo cada vez menores zonas geográficas. Em algumas áreas, há mais de 20 níveis para o sistema de ligas. As ligas da 5ª à 11ª divisão são controladas estritamente pela Football Association e fazem parte do chamado National League System. Além disso, todas as ligas seguem o padrão original de todos contra todos e 3 pontos para a vitória, 1 para o empate e 0 para a derrota. Teoricamente todos os times podem subir ou descer para qualquer divisão. No entanto, padrões mínimos para os estádios (drenagem, capacidade, etc.) podem impedir clubes de subir mesmo que sua posição na liga inferior o permita.
Nível
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Liga(s)/Divisões
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1
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Premier League
20 equipes – 3 rebaixados
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2
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EFL Championship
24 equipes – 3 promovidos, 3 rebaixados
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3
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League One
24 equipes – 3 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
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4
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League Two
24 equipes – 4 promovidos, 2 rebaixados
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5
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National League
24 equipes – 2 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
|
6
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National League North
24 equipes – 2 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
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National League South
24 equipes – 2 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
|
7
|
Northern Premier League Premier Division
22 equipes – 2 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
|
Southern League Premier Division Central
22 equipes – 2 promovidos[nota 1], 4 rebaixados
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Southern League Premier Division South
22 equipes – 2 promovidos[nota 1], 4 rebaixados
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Isthmian League Premier Division
22 equipes – 2 promovidos, 4 rebaixados
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8
|
Northern Premier League Division One North East
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
Northern Premier League Division One North West
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
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Northern Premier League Division One North Midlands
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
Southern League Division One Central
21 equipes – 2p, 3r
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Southern League Division One South
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
Isthmian League Division One South Central
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
Isthmian League Division One North
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
Isthmian League Division One South East
22 equipes – 2p, 4r
|
9 (Todas as divisões são disputadas de maneira paralela)
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|
10 (Todas as divisões são disputadas de maneira paralela)
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|
11
|
|
O sistema é definido apenas até o nível 11. O que se segue é uma estrutura nocional, baseada na qual as ligas se promovem e rebaixam umas às outras.
Nível
|
Liga(s)/divisão(ões)
|
12
|
|
13
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Aldershot & District League Division One – 9 equipes
Anglian Combination Division Two – 15 equipes
Aylesbury and District League Division One – 11 equipes
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Premier Division – 11 equipes
Basingstoke and District League Division One – 9 equipes
Beckett Football League Division One – 8 equipes
Bedfordshire County League Division Two North – 13 equipes
Bedfordshire County League Division Two South – 14 equipes
Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division One – 14 equipes
Bristol and Suburban League Premier Division Two – 11 equipes
Cambridgeshire County League Senior B Division – 14 equipes
Central Midlands Alliance Division Two – 13 equipes
Cheshire League League Two – 12 equipes
Coventry Alliance Football League Premier Division – 8 equipes
Craven and District League Premier Division – 9 equipes
Devon and Exeter League Division One – 13 equipes
Dorset League Division One – 14 equipes
East Berkshire Football League Division One – 14 equipes
East Riding County League Championship – 13 equipes
East Sussex League Division One – 7 equipes
Essex Alliance League Division One – 13 equipes
Essex & Suffolk Border League Division Two – 15 equipes
Essex Olympian League Senior Division Two – 12 equipes
Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two – 16 equipes
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Premier Division – 9 equipes
Herefordshire Football League Division Two – 12 equipes
Hertfordshire Senior County League Division Two – 12 equipes
Kent County League Division Two Central & East – 11 equipes
Kent County League Division Two West – 12 equipes
Leicestershire Senior League Division Two – 8 equipes
Liverpool County Premier League Division Two – 11 equipes
Manchester League Division Two – 15 equipes
Middlesex County League Division Two – 12 equipes
|
Mid-Sussex League Division One – 11 equipes
North Berks League Division Two – 11 equipes
North Bucks and District League Intermediate Division – 13 equipes
North Devon League Senior Division – 16 equipes
North Riding League Division Two – 12 equipes
Northamptonshire Combination League Division Two – 14 equipes
Northern Alliance Division Two – 15 equipes
Nottinghamshire Senior League Division Two – 16 equipes
Oxfordshire Senior League Division Two – 12 equipes
Peterborough and District League Division Two – 15 equipes
Plymouth and West Devon League Division One – 11 equipes
Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Division Two – 12 equipes
Somerset County League Division Two – 14 equipes
South Devon Football League Division One – 10 equipes
Southampton Saturday League Premier Division – 10 equipes
St Piran League Division Two East – 14 equipes
St Piran League Division Two West – 13 equipes
Staffordshire County Senior League Division Two North – 12 equipes
Staffordshire County Senior League Division Two South – 11 equipes
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Two – 14 equipes
Surrey South Eastern Combination Intermediate Division Two – 13 equipes
Swindon & District League Division One – 10 equipes
Thames Valley Premier League Division Two – 10 equipes
Trowbridge & District League Division Two – 11 equipes
Wearside League Division Two - 11 equipes
West Cheshire League Division Three – 16 equipes
West Lancashire League Division Two – 12 equipes
West Sussex League Division One – 11 equipes
West Yorkshire League Division Two – 16 equipes
Witney and District League Premier Division – 11 equipes
York League Division Two – 11 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Championship Division – 12 equipes
|
|
14
|
Aldershot & District League Division Two – 6 equipes
Anglian Combination Division Three – 18 equipes
Aylesbury and District League Division Two – 10 equipes
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division One – 11 equipes
Beckett Football League Division Two – 11 equipes
Bedfordshire County League Division Three – 16 equipes
Brighton, Worthing & District League Division One – 11 equipes
Bristol and District League Senior Division – 14 equipes
Bristol and Suburban Association League Division One – 14 equipes
Cambridgeshire County League Division One A – 13 equipes
Cambridgeshire County League Division One B – 14 equipes
Cheltenham League Premier Division – 12 equipes
Chester and Wirral League Premier Division – 9 equipes
Coventry Alliance Division One – 11 equipes
Craven and District League Division One – 9 equipes
Crewe and District League Premier Division – 7 equipes
Devon and Exeter League Division Two – 14 equipes
Doncaster Saturday League Premier Division – 8 equipes
Dorset League Division Two – 12 equipes
East Riding County League Championship North – 10 equipes
East Riding County League Championship South – 10 equipes
East Sussex League Division Two – 10 equipes
Essex Alliance League Division Two – 12 equipes
Essex & Suffolk Border League Division Three – 11 equipes
Essex Olympian League Senior Division Three – 13 equipes
Furness Premier League Premier Division – 14 equipes
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division One – 8 equipes
Halifax and District League Premier Division – 11 equipes
Harrogate and District League Premier Division – 12 equipes
Hertfordshire Senior County League Division Three – 13 equipes
Hope Valley Amateur League Premier Division – 14 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association League Premier Division – 11 equipes
|
Kent County League Division Three Central & East – 12 equipes
Kent County League Division Three West – 14 equipes
Kingston and District League Premier Division – 11 equipes
Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division – 12 equipes
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Leicestershire County League Premier Division – 13 equipes
Liverpool Football League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two North – 9 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Two South – 10 equipes
North Berks League Division Three – 11 equipes
North Bucks and District League Division One – 13 equipes
North Devon League Intermediate Division One – 14 equipes
North Gloucestershire League Premier Division – 14 equipes
Northamptonshire Combination League Division Three – 14 equipes
Northern Alliance Third Division – 16 equipes
Nottinghamshire Senior League Division Three – 13 equipes
Oxfordshire Senior League Division Three – 11 equipes
Peterborough and District League Division Three – 15 equipes
Somerset County League Division Three – 14 equipes
South Devon Football League Division Two – 10 equipes
Southampton Saturday League Senior Division One – 10 equipes
St Piran League Division Three East – 14 equipes
St Piran League Division Three West – 13 equipes
Stroud and District League Division One – 14 equipes
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Three – 13 equipes
Thames Valley Premier League Division Three – 11 equipes
Wakefield and District League Premier Division – 11 equipes
Wensleydale Football League Division One - 9 equipes
West Sussex League Division Two North – 12 equipes
West Sussex League Division Two South – 11 equipes
Wimbledon & District League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Witney and District League Division One – 12 equipes
York League Division Three – 11 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Division One – 11 equipes
|
|
15
|
Aldershot & District League Seedling Group - 10 equipes
Anglian Combination Division Four – 15 equipes
Ashford & District League Premier Division – 7 equipes
Banbury District and Lord Jersey FA Division Two – 11 equipes
Bedfordshire County League Division Four – 17 equipes
Bristol and District League Division One – 13 equipes
Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Two – 14 equipes
Bromley & South London District League Premier Division - 10 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two A – 14 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Two B – 14 equipes
Canterbury & District League Premier Division – 7 equipes
Cheltenham League Division One – 12 equipes
Chester and Wirral League Championship – 9 equipes
Coventry Alliance Division Two – 10 equipes
Craven and District League Division Two – 9 equipes
Cumberland County League Premier Division – 8 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Three – 14 equipes
Doncaster Saturday League Division One – 7 equipes
Dorset Football League Division Three – 12 equipes
East Riding County League Division One – 13 equipes
East Sussex Football League Division Three – 11 equipes
Essex Alliance League Division Three – 13 equipes
Essex Olympian League Senior Division Four – 14 equipes
Essex & Suffolk Border League Division Four – 12 equipes
Furness Premier League Division One – 10 equipes
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Two – 9 equipes
Halifax and District League Division One – 13 equipes
Harrogate and District League Division One – 13 equipes
Hertfordshire Senior County League Division Four – 11 equipes
Hope Valley Amateur League A Division – 17 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division One – 12 equipes
|
Kingston and District Football League Division One – 10 equipes
Lancashire Amateur League Division One – 14 equipes
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division One – 8 equipes
Leicestershire County League Championship Division – 12 equipes
Liverpool Football League Championship – 10 equipes
Mid-Lancashire Football League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three North – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Three South – 10 equipes
Mid-Somerset Football League Premier Division – 9 equipes
North Devon League Intermediate Division Two – 12 equipes
North East Combination League Premier Division – 9 equipes
North Gloucestershire League Division One – 12 equipes
Perry Street and District League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Peterborough and District Football League Division Four – 15 equipes
Rochester and District League Premier Division – 11 equipes
Sevenoaks and District Football League Premier Division – 11 equipes
South Devon Football League Division Three – 9 equipes
St Piran League Division Four East – 11 equipes
St Piran League Division Four West – 13 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Two – 13 equipes
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Four – 13 equipes
Taunton & District Saturday League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Thames Valley Premier Football League Division Four – 12 equipes
Wakefield and District League Division One – 11 equipes
West Sussex League Division Three Central – 10 equipes
West Sussex League Division Three North – 10 equipes
West Sussex League Division Three South – 9 equipes
Westmorland Association Football League Division One – 12 equipes
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division One – 11 equipes
Wimbledon & District Football League Division One – 10 equipes
Witney and District League Division Two – 13 equipes
Yeovil and District League Premier Division – 9 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Division Two – 12 equipes
|
|
16
|
Anglian Combination Division Five North – 15 equipes
Anglian Combination Division Five South – 16 equipes
Ashford & District League Division One – 8 equipes
Bristol and District League Division Two – 15 equipes
Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Three – 13 equipes
Bromley & South London District League Division One - 11 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three A – 14 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Three B – 14 equipes
Canterbury & District League Division One – 7 equipes
Cheltenham League Division Two – 12 equipes
Coventry Alliance Division Three – 12 equipes
Craven and District League Division Three – 9 equipes
Cumberland County League Division One – 9 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Four – 13 equipes
Dorset Football League Division Four – 11 equipes
East Riding County League Division Two – 11 equipes
East Sussex Football League Division Four – 11 equipes
Essex & Suffolk Border League Division Five – 11 equipes
Furness Premier League Division Two – 11 equipes
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Division Three – 9 equipes
Hertfordshire Senior County League Division Five – 13 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Two – 11 equipes
|
Lancashire Amateur League Division Two – 14 equipes
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division Two – 11 equipes
Leicestershire County League Division One – 12 equipes
Liverpool Football League Division One – 10 equipes
Mid-Essex League Premier Division – 10 equipes
Mid-Lancashire Football League Division One – 12 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four North – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Four South – 11 equipes
Mid-Somerset Football League Division One – 8 equipes
North East Combination League Division One – 6 equipes
North Gloucestershire League Division Two – 12 equipes
Perry Street and District League Division One – 12 equipes
Rochester and District League Division One – 13 equipes
Sevenoaks and District Football League Division One – 11 equipes
South Devon Football League Division Four – 10 equipes
Southend Borough & District Combination Premier Division – 7 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Three – 13 equipes
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Five – 12 equipes
Taunton & District Saturday League Division One – 12 equipes
Wakefield and District League Division Two – 11 equipes
Westmorland Association Football League Division Two – 11 equipes
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Two – 9 equipes
Wimbledon & District Football League Division Two – 10 equipes
Witney and District League Division Three – 13 equipes
Yeovil and District League Division One – 11 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Division Three – 11 equipes
|
|
17
|
Bristol and District League Division Three – 14 equipes
Bristol and Suburban Association Football League Division Four – 12 equipes
Bromley & South London District League Division Two - 10 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four A – 12 equipes
Cambridgeshire Football Association County League Division Four B – 14 equipes
Central and South Norfolk League Division One – 12 equipes
Dorset Football League Division Five – 11 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Five – 13 equipes
East Riding County League Division Three – 11 equipes
Guildford and Woking Alliance League Youth to Adult Transition Division – 8 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Three – 11 equipes
Lancashire Amateur League Division Three – 14 equipes
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division Three – 10 equipes
Leicestershire County League Division Two – 12 equipes
Liverpool Football League Division Two – 10 equipes
|
Mid-Essex League Division One – 11 equipes
Mid-Lancashire Football League Division Two – 11 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five North – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex Football League Division Five South – 10 equipes
Mid-Somerset Football League Division Two – 8 equipes
North East Combination League Division Two – 8 equipes
North East Norfolk League Division One – 9 equipes
North Gloucestershire League Division Three – 12 equipes
North West Norfolk League Division One – 10 equipes
Perry Street and District League Division Two – 14 equipes
Rochester and District League Division Two – 11 equipes
Sevenoaks and District Football League Division Two – 12 equipes
Southend Borough Combination Division One – 11 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Four North – 10 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Four South – 10 equipes
Suffolk and Ipswich League Division Six – 13 equipes
Taunton & District Saturday League Division Two – 13 equipes
Westmorland Association Football League Division Three – 11 equipes
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Three – 10 equipes
Wimbledon & District Football League Division Three – 10 equipes
Yeovil and District League Division Two – 11 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Division Four – 12 equipes
|
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18
|
Bristol and District League Division Four – 13 equipes
Central and South Norfolk League Division Two – 12 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Six – 14 equipes
East Riding County League Division Four – 10 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Four – 10 equipes
Lancashire Amateur League Division Four – 12 equipes
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division A – 13 equipes
Leicestershire County League Division Three – 13 equipes
Lowestoft & District League Division One – 13 equipes
Mid-Essex League Division Two – 10 equipes
Mid-Sussex League Division Six – 9 equipes
|
North East Norfolk League Division Two – 7 equipes
North West Norfolk League Division Two – 12 equipes
Sevenoaks and District Football League Division Three – 12 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Five North – 10 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Five South – 10 equipes
Westmorland Association Football League Division Four – 11 equipes
Weston-super-Mare and District Football League Division Four – 12 equipes
Yorkshire Amateur League Division Five – 12 equipes
|
|
19
|
Bristol and District League Division Five – 10 equipes
Central and South Norfolk League Division Three – 11 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Seven – 13 equipes
Huddersfield and District Association Football League Division Five – 12 equipes
|
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division B – 13 equipes
Lowestoft & District League Division Two – 9 equipes
Mid-Essex League Division Three – 10 equipes
North West Norfolk League Division Three – 9 equipes
Stroud and District League Division Six – 10 equipes
|
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20
|
Central and South Norfolk League Division Four – 13 equipes
Devon and Exeter Football League Division Eight – 12 equipes
|
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League Division C – 11 equipes
Lowestoft & District League Division Three – 10 equipes
|
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Notas e referências
Notas
- ↑ a b O acesso para a National League North ou National League South é baseado em fatores geográficos.
Referências