The Football League is a collection of professional football clubs from England and Wales Its main competition is the English Football League Championship, which is the second tier of English football. The Football League was founded in 1888 as the brainchild of William McGregor and is the oldest professional football league in the world.
The league consists of three divisions: the Championship, League One, and League Two. Each division has 24 clubs and the top two clubs in each division are promoted to the next level, while the bottom four clubs are relegated. The Championship is the highest division and the winner is promoted to the Premier League. The winner of the Football League is determined by a points system, with three points awarded for a win and one point awarded for a draw. The Football League also runs the Football League Trophy, which is a competition open to clubs in all three divisions.
The Football League also has a plethora of other competitions, including the FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield, and more. The League also organizes the Football League Championship Play-Offs, which are used to determine the three teams in the Championship who will be promoted to the Premier League.
Five of the Best Examples of Football League Competition:
1. The FA Cup: The FA Cup is the oldest and most prestigious football competition in the UK. It is open to clubs from all four divisions of the Football League, as well as clubs from the Premier League and other domestic leagues. The competition is generally seen as a mini-league, with clubs playing each other in a round-robin format before the final at Wembley Stadium.
2. The League Cup: The League Cup is a knockout competition that is open to all Football League clubs. The competition starts with the first round in August and then proceeds through to a two-legged semi-final in February and the final in March. The League Cup is seen as a major opportunity for Football League clubs to win a major trophy.
3. The Community Shield: The Community Shield is an annual one-off match between the holders of the FA Cup and the Premier League champions. The match is generally played at Wembley Stadium at the start of the season and is seen as a chance for the Football League clubs to test their mettle against the top-flight clubs.
4. The Football League Championship Play-Offs: The Play-Offs are used to determine the three teams who will be promoted from the Championship to the Premier League. The Play-Offs are a fierce knock-out competition with the teams competing in two legs. The winners of the Play-Offs are awarded a place in the top-flight for the following season.
5. The Football League Trophy: The Football League Trophy is a competition open to all Football League clubs. The competition starts with regional group stages before the top sides compete in the final at Wembley Stadium. The winners of the Trophy are awarded a place in the EFL Cup the following season.