England is considered by many to be the birthplace of soccer , and it’s a country filled with historic football clubs. While the Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world, English football consists of multiple tiers, including the National League. You can bet on National League games at Stake Sportsbook , following the action as teams from across the country compete to become champions.
What is the National League?
The English football pyramid consists of ten main tiers, with promotion and relegation working between each tier. Below the Premier League is the Championship , League One , and League Two . Directly below League Two is what’s known as non-league football, with the National League at the top, then National League North and National League South below.
History of the National League
In 1979, top teams from the Northern Premier League and the Southern League joined together to form the Alliance Premier Football League. From the 1986-87 season, this league became known as the Football Conference.
For the first 25 years, the Conference was a single division, but from 2004-05 onwards, it has included two lower divisions, the Conference North and Conference South. In 2015, the Conference was renamed to the National League, with the lower divisions changed to the National League North and National League South.
Teams to have won the most National League titles are:
Barnet (1991, 2005, 2015)
Macclesfield Town (1995, 1997, 2018)
Altrincham (1980, 1981)
Enfield (1983, 1986)
Kidderminster Harriers (1994, 2001)
Maidstone United (1984, 1989)
Stevenage Borough (1996, 2010)
Lincoln City (1988, 2017)
Chesterfield are the current champions of the National League.
Which Teams Play in the National League?
This season, the National League will feature:
AFC Fylde – National League North winners 2016-17, 2022-23
Aldershot Town – Conference winners 2007-08
Altrincham – Two-time National League winners
Barnet – Three-time National League winners
Boston United – Promoted from National League North through playoffs
Braintree Town – Promoted from National League South through playoffs
Dagenham & Redbridge - Won the title in 2006-07 and reached League One
Eastleigh – Conference South winners in 2013-14
Ebbsfleet United – National League South winners in 2022-23
FC Halifax Town - National League North play-off winners in 2013 and 2017
Forest Green Rovers – Popular betting team and League Two winners 2021-22
Gateshead – National League North winners 2021-22
Hartlepool United – National League play-off winners in 2021
Maidenhead United – National League South winners 2016-17
Oldham Athletic – Second Division winners 1990-91
Rochdale – Promoted to League Two in 2013-14
Solihull Moors – National League North winners 2015-16
Southend United – League One winners 2005-06
Sutton United – National League winners 2020-21
Tamworth – National League North winners 2008-09, 2023-24
Wealdstone – National League winners 1984-85
Woking - National League South winners 1991-92, 2011-12
Yeovil Town – League One play-off winners 2001
York City – Fourth Division winners 1983-84
Format & Schedule of the 2024–25 National League
The National League features 24 teams in total, and over the course of the season, each team will play a home and away fixture against every other opponent. Three points are earned for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The National League table shows the rankings of each team based on their total points.
The regular season kicks off with opening fixtures on 10 August 2024.
National League teams enter the fourth round of the FA Cup qualifying on 12 October 2024.
The North and South divisions finish on 26April 2025, while the National League ends on 5 May 2025.
The team at the top of the table at the end of the season is crowned champion, with a direct promotion to League Two. Second and third-placed teams will qualify for the play-off semi-finals, while teams in fourth to seventh place enter the play-off quarter-finals. The winner of the play-offs will join the league champions in League Two the following season.
Meanwhile, the bottom four teams are relegated to the North and South divisions below. Whether they play in the North or South division is determined by their current location.
Check out our full sports betting guide if you want to learn more about how to bet on sports or our soccer betting guide for a more in-depth view of the different ways you can bet. Betting on soccer games like the National League is very straightforward. Simply follow these steps to get started:
Sign up to Stake.com and use any of the accepted payment methods to add funds to your account.
Find National League games using the search menu or the soccer category.
Select a game or an outright betting market, and then choose your bet.
Use your bet slip to enter your wager then confirm to place.
Watch the game live to see if you’re a winner.
There are lots of different ways to bet on football here at Stake, including:
Live Stream the National League & Live Soccer Betting
The National League is highly competitive with teams and players eager to earn promotion and climb up the football ladder to reach the big leagues. You can bet on live and pre-live games, with live stats and live streams available on all National League games as they happen.
National League Betting Odds & Payouts
Before you place a bet, you need to be able to calculate your potential payouts from the odds. Each bet will have a number next to it, but the format of that number and the way you calculate your potential profits depend on the type of odds you’re using:
Decimal – This is a simple decimal number that you multiply by your stake to give you the sum total of what you’d receive from a winning bet.
Fractional – With fractional odds, you multiply your stake by the top number in the fraction and then divide by the bottom number. This tells you your profit from a winning bet.
American – American odds either use a plus or minus symbol in front of the number. Negative odds reveal how much you’d need to bet in order to win $100 profit, while positive odds show your potential winnings from a $100 bet.
You can read up on our guide on how to understand odds for more information.
National League Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies
Betting on goals – Last season, 59% of all games in the National League featured goals from both teams, and there was an average of 2.94 goals scored per game. Naturally, you might have success betting on over 2.5 goals and both teams to score if this trend continues.
Consider recent success – Teams that have recently been promoted or finished in the playoffs are likely to be in a stronger current position, even if they’ve turned over players or lost coaches since then. Barnet and Forest Green Rovers are among the championship betting favourites this season as a result of their recent success.
Make the most of promotions – Always check the Stake promos page to see the latest betting offers. There are lots of special promotions available to help you find more value when placing bets. You can enjoy the VIP Club too, earning regular rewards for placing bets on the National League.
Game responsibly - Be sure to follow our Stake Smart guide to responsible gambling if you want to have more fun while spending less. Betting on sports is a lot of fun, but it’s important to control how much you bet and avoid getting carried away.
