Promotion and relegation is the engine that makes a football league pyramid work. Finish near the bottom of a division and you drop down; win the division below and you move up. Nothing like it exists in most American sports, which is part of why a mid-table fixture in March can still carry real drama. Here is how it works, and how it differs between leagues.
The basic idea
Leagues are stacked in tiers. At the end of each season the worst teams in a higher division swap places with the best teams from the division below. That keeps competition open: a small club can climb the pyramid, and a big club can fall if it performs badly for long enough.
How it works in the Premier League
The bottom three clubs in the Premier League are relegated to the EFL Championship. They are replaced by three clubs from the Championship: the top two finishers go up automatically, and the third spot is decided by a play-off between the teams that finished third to sixth.
The Championship play-off final is often called the richest game in football because of the revenue a place in the Premier League brings.
Other major European leagues
- La Liga: three clubs go down, and the bottom of the second tier plus a play-off decide who comes up.
- Serie A: three clubs relegated, with promotion from Serie B, again involving play-offs.
- Bundesliga: two clubs go down automatically, and the 16th-placed club plays the third-placed team from the second division over two legs.
- Ligue 1: the number of relegation places has changed in recent years, so check the current format for the season you’re following.
Why it matters financially
Relegation can cut a club’s broadcasting revenue sharply. To soften the blow, many leagues pay parachute payments for a limited time to clubs that drop out of the top flight. Promotion works the other way, opening up a much bigger income and the chance to sign better players.
Closed leagues vs open leagues
Major League Soccer in the United States and Canada has no promotion or relegation. Teams are franchises, and the league decides who joins. Supporters of the open pyramid argue that relegation keeps every game meaningful; supporters of the franchise model say it gives owners stability to invest. Both systems have fans.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams are relegated from the Premier League?
Three.
What are parachute payments?
Payments made to recently relegated clubs to help them manage the sudden drop in income.
Does MLS have relegation?
No.
See more in League Football.
