by J Mock

Created on: February 10, 2009   Last Updated: October 02, 2010

The promotion and relegation rules for the top tiers of the league football pyramid involve a simple system that will decipher which teams are to advance to the next level, if applicable, or be demoted into the league below, for the commencement of the new football season.

At the end of the football season, of which the date and duration will vary between different countries worldwide, the status of an individual football club can alter in accordance to their accumulated points and league position.

The English Football League system, as an example, employ a tried and tested method to determine which football clubs will be promoted, and which clubs will be relegated.

Ninety-two professional football clubs, over four tiers, participate in a set number of games against teams from within their own league. At the end of the season a pre-determined number of teams will have altered their status within the pyramid, in accordance with their final league position.

As an example, the top four football leagues in England, in descending order, are the Premiership League, The Championship, League One and League Two. Below League Two is the highest tier of non-league football.

All leagues will invoke promotion and relegation, except for the Premiership. As the Premiership is the highest league, a team can only be promoted to or relegated from this league.

To be promoted, a team can gain what is called 'Automatic Promotion', whereby their final league position will see the club advance straight up into the next highest league.

Another method of promotion is through a system called the 'play-offs'. The four teams that finish below the positions of automatic promotion will compete in the play-off's, to determine which team will also gain promotion.

Four teams, and two play-off semi-finals. The two teams that accrue the highest aggregate score from their respective semi-finals, having played two legs, home and away, will progress into the play-off final. The eventual winner from the play-off final will gain promotion, while the losing finalist remains in the same league.

In ascending order, the promotion and relegation rules for the top five tiers of the English Football League system, as of 2009 and including the current league sponsorship, are:

* Blue Square Premier League:

Teams - 24

Automatic Promotion - Team placed 1st.

Play-offs - Teams placed 2nd to 5th (Semi-finals between 2nd and 5th, plus 3rd and 4th).

* Coca-cola League Two:

Teams - 24

Automatic Promotion - Teams

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