About Us

The Northern Football Alliance is a football competition based in the North East of England. It has four divisions headed by the Premier Division, which is a Regional NLS Feeder League.

The top club, or a qualifying club which finishes the season in the top 5, in the Premier Division is eligible for promotion to the Northern League Division Two. Promotion and Relegation are in place throughout the Divisions, top 2 promoted and bottom 2 relegated in each Division. the bottom 2 clubs in Division Three must apply for re-election.

The Northern Football Alliance was founded in 1890 as a single league, with a membership of seven teams. In 1926 it became the Second Division of the North Eastern League, but it split away again in 1935. It disbanded in 1964 due to lack of membership, but reformed just one season later, in 1965–66.

In 1988 the Northern Amateur League and the Northern Combination League combined with the Northern Football Alliance (all under the name Northern Football Alliance) to create a three-division format, which extended to 4 Divisions in season 2019 2020 when the Tyneside Amateur League formed the basis of the 4th Division. The Competition can currently operate with a maximum of 64 member teams across the 4 Divisions with a maximum of 16 teams in each Division.