National League North Table 2025–26: Latest Standings, Promotion Race, And Relegation Battle

The National League North table for the 2025–26 season shows a tight and intensely competitive race, with South Shields leading the way and several ambitious clubs close behind, while a tense relegation battle builds at the bottom of the standings

National League North 2025–26 Table Overview

The National League North table for the 2025–26 season continues to deliver drama every week, and you see that clearly when you study the current standings, where South Shields sit on top, AFC Fylde and Merthyr Town chase hard, and a group of mid-table clubs fight to stay in touch with the play-off places while keeping a safe distance from the relegation zone.

Because the league table changes after every round of fixtures, you always need to look at the most recent update, and as of late January 2026, the table shows a clear leader but not a settled title race, with South Shields holding first place on more than 60 points, Fylde not far behind, and Merthyr, Kidderminster, Radcliffe, Scarborough and others jostling for play-off positions, while teams like Leamington, Alfreton Town, Peterborough Sports and Hereford remain in serious trouble near the foot of the table.

How The National League North Table Works

The National League North table follows a simple but unforgiving structure, so when you follow it closely, you quickly understand why every point matters from August to late spring.

Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away, which means a long and demanding season where squads face constant physical and mental pressure and managers need to manage squad rotation with care if they want to stay competitive from the first matchday to the last.

Teams earn three points for a win and one point for a draw, so winning consistently always matters more than drawing often, and you notice top clubs build their success on strings of victories rather than unbeaten runs full of draws.​

The table orders teams by points first, then goal difference, and then goals scored if necessary, which encourages clubs not only to win games but also to score freely and defend strongly, because that balance often decides tight promotion races and relegation fights.

Because of this system, you always see successful National League North sides combine solid defensive records with high scoring numbers, and if a team lacks either element, it usually slips from the promotion conversation or gets dragged into the bottom half.

Current Top Of The National League North Table

At the top end of the 2025–26 National League North table, South Shields stand out as the leading contenders, and they back that status up with impressive stats in terms of points, wins and goal difference.

As of late January 2026:

South Shields sit in first place with around 63 points from 28 games, after winning 19, drawing 6 and losing just 3, while scoring more than 60 goals and showing one of the best goal differences in the league.

AFC Fylde follow closely in second place with more than 50 points and a strong goal difference, which means they keep real pressure on South Shields and stay in a comfortable play-off and promotion position.

Merthyr Town stay in the top three with a high-scoring attack but a slightly less solid defence, yet they remain firmly involved in the promotion race and show that a bold, attacking approach can still bring success at this level.

Kidderminster Harriers, Radcliffe and Scarborough Athletic hold positions in and around the play-off places, and they know that a short winning streak could lift them closer to the automatic promotion spot if South Shields suffer a poor run.

Mini Table: Top Half Snapshot

You can use this simplified view of the top half of the table to understand the structure of the promotion and play-off chase (numbers approximate and rounded to reflect late January 2026 positions, not live updates):

These numbers give you a rough but reliable picture of the balance between the main title favourites and the chasing play-off pack, even though exact statistics change after every round of fixtures.

Mid-Table: The Tight And Crowded Middle Pack

In the middle of the National League North table, you find a group of clubs like Scarborough Athletic, Darlington, Buxton, Chester, Marine, Macclesfield, AFC Telford United, Chorley, Curzon Ashton and Spennymoor Town, and they sit within a narrow band of points, which makes this section of the table incredibly volatile.

Many of these teams hold between the mid-30s and low-40s points, so one good month can push them firmly into the play-off spots, while a poor month can suddenly drag them back toward the lower half.

They often show balanced records with similar numbers of wins and losses, slightly positive or even goal difference, and regular draws, which explains why they stay packed so tightly together.

Because of this congestion, head-to-head matches between mid-table sides feel almost like six-pointers, since every win against a direct rival can cause a swing of three or even six positions in the table.

In this part of the table, clubs constantly weigh ambition against realism, as some push for late play-off surges while others focus first on hitting the magic safety marks that usually guarantee another season in the division.

Bottom Of The Table: Relegation Battle

At the bottom of the National League North table, the stakes rise even higher, because relegation from this division carries heavy sporting and financial consequences for community clubs and their supporters.

As of late January 2026, the lowest places include teams like:

Leamington, who sit last with a low points total and a negative goal difference, and they face a huge challenge to climb out of the relegation zone as the season moves into its final months.

Alfreton Town, who hover just above or within the bottom places and struggle with a poor goal difference, which increases the difficulty of catching rivals even if they manage some surprise wins.

Peterborough Sports and Hereford FC, who sit in the lower positions with points totals in the early 20s, and they need consistent results to avoid the trapdoor.

Southport, Bedford Town, Oxford City and Kings Lynn, who remain just above the very bottom cluster but still carry the risk of being dragged into danger if they endure a sequence of defeats.

Because the National League North usually sends several clubs down to level seven of the English pyramid, teams in the bottom six or seven places cannot relax at any point, and every home game against a fellow struggler becomes absolutely vital.

Promotion, Play-Offs, And Relegation Rules In National League North

The rules around promotion and relegation in National League North heavily shape how you interpret the table and how clubs approach their strategies across a long season.

Automatic Promotion For The Champions

In National League North, the side that finishes in first place at the end of the season earns automatic promotion to the National League, which represents the fifth tier of English football just below League Two, and this rule makes the title race brutal because only one team can claim that direct reward.

South Shields currently hold that top spot, so they control their destiny, and if they maintain their strong form and keep scoring heavily while defending well, they give themselves the best chance of securing automatic promotion.

However, AFC Fylde and Merthyr Town know that a dip in South Shields’ results could open the door, especially if they string together winning runs and turn games in hand into points.

Because of this structure, you often see the title contenders take more attacking risks against lower-ranked teams, since goal difference and total wins can become decisive if two sides end up level on points.

Play-Off Places And The Fight For Second To Seventh

Below the champions, the National League North table usually sends the teams finishing from second through seventh into the promotion play-offs, and that mechanism gives more clubs a genuine incentive to compete at the top end deep into the season.

The side finishing second often receives a more favourable play-off route, sometimes entering at a later stage, which makes the race for that position almost as intense as the battle for first.

Teams from third to seventh engage in quarter-final and semi-final ties, which typically consist of single-leg or two-leg encounters depending on the competition rules, and they must handle the pressure of knockout football after a long league schedule.​

In the current campaign, clubs like Merthyr, Kidderminster, Radcliffe, Scarborough, Darlington and several others all chase these precious positions, and small details in form, injuries or fixture congestion can produce big swings.

Because the play-offs offer a second route to promotion, many ambitious clubs treat a top-seven finish as a realistic season goal, even if they cannot quite match the consistency of the title favourites.

Relegation Spots And Drop To Level Seven

At the other end of the table, the relegation rules push struggling clubs under intense pressure all season, because several bottom positions usually suffer relegation to step three of non-league, which includes regional divisions like the Northern Premier League Premier Division and others.

Positions 21st to 24th generally mark the relegation zone in a 24-team National League North season, which means at least four clubs drop out of the division.

As of late January 2026, clubs such as Leamington, Alfreton Town, Peterborough Sports and Hereford sit heavily involved in this battle, and they need to find form quickly if they want to escape those bottom places.

Goal difference plays a crucial role here as well, because teams often end up separated by just one or two points or even tied on points, so heavy defeats can cost survival when the final table appears.

Because of the financial impact of relegation, many clubs in this zone rotate less and rely more on experienced players, especially in home fixtures where they target wins against sides in the same half of the table.

Key Trends In The 2025–26 National League North Season

When you look beyond the raw numbers in the table and consider broader trends, you see patterns in style, form, and momentum that help you understand where the season might go next.

Attacking Power At The Top

The top sides in the National League North table this season rely heavily on strong attacking output, and they regularly produce two or three goals per game, which explains both their points totals and their impressive goal differences.

South Shields and Merthyr Town both post goal tallies in the high 50s or mid 60s already, which shows their forwards and attacking midfielders play with freedom and create plenty of chances.

AFC Fylde, Kidderminster and Radcliffe also press high, attack quickly and use creative wide players or advanced full-backs, which helps them break down lower-ranked teams that sit deep and defend.

This emphasis on attacking football, combined with the need for goal difference advantages, makes many top-of-the-table clashes exciting for supporters, because both sides usually chase victory rather than settle for narrow, cautious draws.

Defensive Frailties And Inconsistency

In the middle and lower parts of the table, many teams struggle to maintain consistency at the back, and you see that reflected in goals against columns that sit in the high 30s, 40s or even higher by January.

Clubs like Bedford Town, Oxford City and Southport concede too many goals relative to their scoring numbers, and that imbalance often turns potential draws into defeats.

Even some mid-table sides with ambitions, such as Chorley or Curzon Ashton, show slightly negative or only marginally positive goal differences, which suggests they need stronger defensive structure if they hope to climb further.

Because of this, managers in these clubs often recruit or loan defenders and holding midfielders during mid-season windows, trying to stabilize their sides for the crucial run-in.

Home Advantage And Travel Demands

National League North covers a large geographic area across the north and midlands of England and Wales, so travel distances can be significant, and that factor often increases the impact of home advantage on the table.

Many clubs collect the majority of their points at home, especially those with strong local support and tight pitches that suit direct, physical football.

Top teams like South Shields and AFC Fylde usually combine excellent home records with solid away form, which sets them apart from mid-table outfits that rely almost entirely on home results.

Because travel costs and journey times challenge semi-professional squads, sports science, recovery, and squad depth now matter more than ever in this league, and you see that in how serious promotion contenders prepare.

How To Read The National League North Table Like An Expert

Perth Scorchers If you want to understand the National League North table in depth and not just glance at positions, you can focus on several key indicators that reveal hidden strengths and weaknesses.

Points Per Game And Games In Hand

You should always consider points per game (PPG) and games played, because some teams have played more or fewer fixtures, especially around cup schedules or postponements.

For example, if South Shields have 63 points from 28 games, their PPG stands around 2.25, while AFC Fylde may have 57 points from 27 with a PPG slightly above 2.10, which keeps them within reach.

A mid-table club with 38 points from PSG vs Bayern Munich 24 matches could theoretically jump higher if they win their games in hand compared to a side with 40 points from 27.

By comparing PPG across the table, you gain a better idea of true performance levels, rather than relying only on raw points totals.

Goal Difference As A Performance Signal

Goal difference (GD) often serves as a quick signal of how dominant or fragile a team looks over the course of the season.

Large positive goal difference, such as South Shields’ figure in the high +30s or low +40s, often indicates both strong attack and sturdy defence.

Slightly positive or negative GD, especially when combined with many draws, hints at a side that competes in tight games but lacks a real cutting edge or defensive solidity.

Very negative GD usually reveals relegation candidates, because even occasional wins cannot offset the damage from heavy defeats against stronger teams.

You also need to remember that GD becomes decisive when teams finish equal on points, so managers stay aware of the importance of avoiding big losses late in the season.

Form Guides And Streaks

Recent form sections on many football sites show how teams performed across the last five or ten matches, and that information helps you predict short-term movement in the table.​

A lower mid-table team on a four-game Ireland Women unbeaten streak can climb quickly, while a top-six club on a three-game losing run may suddenly look vulnerable.​

By combining form with long-term stats like GD and PPG, you gain a more rounded understanding of which teams stand poised to move up or down in the coming weeks.

Because National League North seasons run for many months, you often see multiple swings in form, so context around recent matches always matters when reading the standings.

FAQs

Who currently sits at the top of the National League North table in the 2025–26 season?

South Shields currently sit Ruben Amorim at the top of the National League North table in the 2025–26 season, and they earn that position through a combination of consistently strong results, an impressive points tally above 60 by late January, and a powerful goal difference that reflects both high scoring and solid defending.

Which teams look like the main contenders for promotion this season?

The main contenders for promotion this season include South Shields as the front-runners for the automatic title, while AFC Fylde and Merthyr Town follow closely behind and stay prominent in the promotion picture, along with Kidderminster Harriers, Radcliffe and Scarborough Athletic, who all compete strongly for play-off positions and keep realistic hopes of reaching the National League through the end-of-season knockouts.

How many teams will earn promotion from National League North?

One team from England vs Australia National League North will usually earn automatic promotion by finishing first in the table, while one more gains promotion through the play-offs, where several clubs placed just below the champions meet in a series of knockout ties that eventually send a second side up to the National League, which means two clubs in total typically move up at the end of the campaign.

How many teams face relegation, and where do they go?

In a standard 24-team National League North season, the bottom four clubs, usually those finishing from 21st to 24th, face relegation to step three of non-league, which includes regional divisions such as the Northern Premier League Premier Division, South Africa vs India Southern League Premier or similar competitions depending on geography and allocations decided by the FA.

Which clubs currently sit in the relegation zone?

As of late January 2026, Leamington occupy the bottom position, and they share the relegation zone with clubs such as Alfreton Town, Peterborough Sports and Hereford FC, all of whom carry low points totals in the early 20s or lower and negative goal differences that underline the scale of their task to escape the drop by the end of the season.

How often does the National League North table update, and where can I check the latest standings?

The National League North table updates after every round of fixtures, and most major football statistics and results websites refresh their data very quickly after matches finish, so if you want the latest standings with accurate points, goal differences and forms, you can visit reliable sports portals and specialist non-league sites that track the 2025–26 Enterprise National League North campaign in real time.

What does goal difference tell me about a team’s strength in this league?

Rangers Fixtures Guide Goal difference gives you a quick snapshot of whether a team combines effective attacking play with defensive solidity, because a large positive figure suggests that the side scores freely while conceding relatively few, a narrow positive number points to tighter games and more marginal wins and defeats, and a heavy negative figure usually signals that a team spends much of the season under pressure and often loses by multiple goals, which frequently correlates with relegation danger.

Why do some teams with fewer points look more dangerous than their position suggests?

Some teams with fewer points than their rivals still look more dangerous because they hold games in hand, better points-per-game averages, stronger underlying goal differences, or significant recent improvements in form, which means when you account for those factors rather than only raw points, you realise they could climb rapidly once they complete postponed matches or extend their current unbeaten runs.

How do the National League North play-offs usually work?

The National League North play-offs usually involve the clubs finishing just below the champions, typically those placed second through seventh, and they meet in a format where lower-ranked sides contest earlier rounds and higher-ranked ones enter later, so over a sequence of semi-finals and a final, one team emerges as the play-off winner and secures promotion alongside the champions, which adds an extra layer of excitement at the end of the season.

What should I watch for in the National League North table during the final months of the 2025–26 season?

During the final months of the 2025–26 season, you should watch for shifts in the title race between South Shields and their nearest challengers, sharp movements in the tightly congested play-off places where a single win or defeat can change several positions, and the fierce struggle near the bottom where clubs like Leamington, Alfreton, Peterborough Sports, Hereford and others fight desperately to avoid the relegation zone, because those battles create dramatic storylines and constant tension in the table until the final matchday.

To Get More Sports Insights Click On:

Target Darts: How This Brand Transformed the Game and Why Everyone From Beginners to Pros Loves It

Epic Rivalry Ignites: Leeds United vs Liverpool – Full History, Latest Clashes, and What’s Next in 2026

Epic Clash: Fulham vs Crystal Palace – The Latest Thrilling Draw and Rivalry Breakdown

Bangladesh vs Ireland: A Full Story of Rivalry, Action, Records, Moments and What Happened in 2025–2026

To Get More Info: Yorkshire Herald