The National League is the fifth level of the English football pyramid and the first step of the National League system. Like with every league worldwide, the fifth tier has seen significant changes to its format throughout the years.
One aspect that has changed over the years is the way clubs have been promoted to the EFL, specifically through the play-offs system.
How the fifth-tier play-offs changed over the years
Not only has the way the play-offs in the fifth tier changed over the years but the way promotion works overall has also changed.
For instance, before 1987, teams had to be elected by the Football League, so promotion wasn’t just earned on the pitch. Even winning the fifth-tier title wasn’t a guarantee of promotion, as the first seven champions failed to gain promotion to the fourth tier.
However, automatic promotion between the fifth tier and the EFL was introduced in 1987. Unfortunately, even then, finishing as champions didn’t guarantee a place in the EFL, as three champions in the 1990s failed to enter the league due to their grounds not meeting league requirements.
In 2003, the fifth tier gained a second promotion berth to the fourth tier. Up until 2017, the second promotion berth was decided similarly to the EFL.
The teams that finished from second place to fifth place in the table would face each other in two-legged semi-finals, home and away legs, with the winner on aggregate over the two ties earning a place in the play-off final. The team that finished second played fifth, while the team that finished third faced the fourth-place team.
The one-off play-off final of 90 minutes would determine who earns a place in the EFL for the next season. If the play-off final isn’t decided over 90 minutes, then the game goes to an extra period of 30, and then, if not decided, in a penalty shootout.
How the system works at the moment
The current system is relatively simple. The champions of the regular season campaign are promoted to the EFL, while play-offs decide the second promotion to the fourth tier. These play-offs involve the teams that finished from second to seventh place in the regular season table.
The teams that finish second and third place in the table get byes into the semi-finals of the play-offs, while the other four teams play one-off eliminator for the right to play in the semi-finals against either the runners-up or the third-place team.
The play-off semi-finals are one-off 90-minute games that determine who will play in the play-off final. If these games are not decided over 90 minutes, then an extra 30 minutes are played, and if they are still not decided, then a penalty shootout will determine the winner of the game.
The play-off final works on the same principle as the semi-finals. It is played for over 90 minutes, with an extra 30 minutes if it is not decided after normal time. If the game is still not settled, then it’s determined by a penalty shootout. The winner overall joins the champions in earning promotion to the EFL.