A proposal has been put forward calling for the creation of an integrated football league system spanning Great Britain, suggesting a reorganization to establish a unified "GB pyramid." The suggestion comes as part of a broader reflection on the structure of non-league football currently operating separately across England, Wales, and Scotland.
The English football pyramid, particularly the non-league tiers below the Football League, has undergone significant development since the mid-20th century. The establishment of leagues such as the Northern Premier League has provided a more coherent framework, and the Football Association’s current system is widely viewed as a model internationally. Despite this progress, questions remain about the potential to link the football structures of the different home nations under a single hierarchical system.
In Wales, the long-term presence of clubs such as Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham, and Newport County competing within the English Football League, along with Merthyr Town’s progression, hints at an informal integration. However, the placement of clubs in the Cymru Premier remains complex, as there are little to no formal connections between the Welsh national league and the English National League or its regional divisions. Resistance to integration is expected from the Football Association of Wales, which has historically worked to maintain separation between the Welsh and English systems, although there are exceptions such as The New Saints (TNS), who actually compete in English leagues despite being a Welsh club.
Scotland presents an even clearer division, where its football pyramid is almost entirely separate from England’s, with the exception of Berwick Rangers, an English club playing in the Scottish system. Previous attempts have been made to bring Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers into the English Premier League framework, though none have materialized. Speculation remains that future developments might revive this conversation and realign relations between the leagues.
Within England, calls have been made for a restructuring of the non-league system to improve cohesion and consistency. One proposal is to split the administration of the two Step 3 Southern Leagues, each featuring an additional Step 4 division—Southern Central aligned with the Northern Premier League Midlands division, and Southern South with the Isthmian League division. This, advocates suggest, would establish a clearer four-level pyramid framework.
Further recommendations include standardizing the number of leagues at Steps 5 and 6 to 16 divisions with uniform sizes and reassigning lower-level clubs currently placed in divisions such as the Hellenic Alliance and South Midlands Division Two to appropriate feeder leagues. The aim is to create a streamlined pyramid arrangement with consistent configurations throughout. At Step 7, moving toward 32 standardized leagues is also encouraged to enhance organizational clarity and competitive balance.
The proposals highlight ongoing debate about how to evolve the football league systems within Great Britain to foster greater integration, efficiency, and development opportunities across the home nations.