National Youth League | League Details

Last updated : Friday, 28 June 2024

Introduction

The National Youth League (NFYL) is an amateur football league in England for players aged 19 and under. It was founded in 2016 and is currently sponsored by PlayerPath.

The NFYL is divided into two divisions, the North and the South. Each division has 16 teams, for a total of 32 teams in the league.

The teams in the NFYL are made up of players who are not part of professional academies. The league provides a competitive environment for these players to develop their skills and progress their careers.

Format

The NFYL season runs from September to May. Each team plays each other team in their division once, home and away.

The top two teams in each division at the end of the season are promoted to the Premier League U23, while the bottom two teams in each division are relegated to the National League U23 North or South.

The winners of the NFYL Cup and the NFYL Trophy also qualify for the Premier League U23 Cup.

Recent seasons

2022-23 season:
- North Division champions: Newcastle United U23
- South Division champions: AFC Wimbledon U23
- NFYL Cup winners: AFC Wimbledon U23
- NFYL Trophy winners: Chesterfield FC U23
2021-22 season:
- North Division champions: Sunderland U23
- South Division champions: Milton Keynes Dons U23
- NFYL Cup winners: Newcastle United U23
- NFYL Trophy winners: Bradford City U23
2020-21 season:
- North Division champions: Newcastle United U23
- South Division champions: AFC Wimbledon U23
- NFYL Cup winners: Newcastle United U23
- NFYL Trophy winners: AFC Wimbledon U23