EFL board set to discuss National League promotion demand
The EFL board will meet on Thursday amid renewed pressure from the entire National League to increase the number of promotion places from two to three.
All 72 National League clubs, which represent the fifth and sixth tiers of English football, wrote to the EFL this week demanding the increase with immediate effect.
The issue is not on the formal agenda for the EFL board meeting, which is issued some days in advance, but is still expected to be discussed, CityAM understands.
There is believed to be sympathy among EFL clubs for that argument, with an increase to bring the promotion places in line with the top four divisions seen as a logical step.
But it remains highly unlikely to gain sufficient support while clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two wait on a new, improved financial redistribution deal with the Premier League.
Some EFL clubs, meanwhile, are known to want greater alignment of financial regulations from the National League before they back changes to promotion and relegation.
Any change to EFL rules would require a straightforward majority of its 72 teams, including a majority of the 24 Championship sides.
Talks about increasing the promotion spots for National League clubs took place during the 2021-22 season but there has been no formal dialogue since amid the broader stalemate in English football governance.
The EFL remains at loggerheads with the Premier League over an increase in the money it receives from the top-flight’s vast media rights deals, with debate ongoing over whether the incoming football regulator should have the power to mandate a settlement.
National League general manager Mark Ives said they do not want to wait for what he fears could be years for the regulator to be fully operational.
“By the time it is set up, started, staff trained and all the elements are in place and then, potentially, the dispute between the Premier League and EFL has been aired with a backstop, that could be three years,” he told the BBC.
“Then we have the discussion on the three-up campaign, which will delay it by another year. That could be four seasons.
“We have a pyramid that is the envy of countries worldwide because you can go from the very bottom to the top, purely on sporting merit. But there is a blockage in the jump between National League and EFL. Two-up, two-down is simply unfair.”
The EFL said: “Recognising the strength of the pyramid, the league has been consistent in its commitment to looking both upwards and down when considering future changes.
“As such, we remain willing to consider changes to the current position on promotion and relegation in the EFL, but these discussions must be part of a broader package of reforms which benefit all levels of the game.”