English Football League
Also known as Football League, The Football League, nPower Football League, EFL
league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales
Key facts
- Founded
- 17 April 1888 ; 138 years ago ( 1888-04-17 )
- Country
- England (68 teams)
- Other club from
- Wales (4 teams)
- Confederation
- UEFA
- Divisions
- EFL Championship EFL League One EFL League Two
- Level on pyramid
- 1 (until 1992), 2–4 (from 1992)
- Promotion to
- Premier League
- Relegation to
- National League
- Domestic cup
- FA Cup
- League cups
- EFL Cup EFL Trophy
- Current champions
- Coventry City , ( 2025–26 )
- Broadcaster s
- Sky Sports ITV Sport (highlights)
~40 min read
Article
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in the world, and was the top-level football league in England from its foundation until 1992, when the top 22 clubs split from it to form the Premier League. The Football League was rebranded as the "English Football League" (EFL) starting with the 2016–17 season.
The EFL is divided into the Championship, League One and League Two, with 24 clubs in each division, 72 in total, with promotion and relegation between them; the top Championship division clubs change places with the lowest-placed clubs in the Premier League, and the bottom clubs of League Two with the top clubs of the National League. Currently four of the EFL clubs are from Wales – Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham and Newport County – the other 68 are located in England.