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Appendix 2 – Tiers
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Lesson
Table 1 – English football pyramid (Teams level 6-11 are generally semi-professional to amateur)
| Level | League | # of Teams | Promotion | Relegation (Bottom # of teams) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English Premier League | 20 | NA (qualification for continental championships apply instead) | 3 | |
| 2 | EFL Championship | 24 | 3 | 3 | 1st and 2nd place earn automatic promotion. 3rd–6th compete in playoff for 3rd promotion spot |
| 3 | EFL League 1 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 1st and 2nd place earn automatic promotion. 3rd–6th compete in playoff for 3rd promotion spot |
| 4 | EFL League 2 | 24 | 4 | 2 | Top 3 teams earn automatic promotion. 4th–7th compete in playoff for 4th promotion spot |
| 5 | National League | 24 | 2 | 4 | 1st place earns automatic promotion. 2nd–7th compete in playoff for 2nd promotion spot. Bottom 4 are relegated but sorted to North or South (see level 6) |
| 6 |
|
48 total (24 North and 24 South) | 4 total (2 from North and 2 from South) | 8 total (4 from North and 4 from South) | Promotion similar to above. Relegated teams sorted based on geography. Teams may be moved between North and South so number of teams are equal to 24 |
| 7 | Four regional leagues | 88 teams (22 in each league) | 8 total (2 from each league) | 16 total (4 from each league) | For level 7 → Level 6: 2 leagues associated with National League North and 2 leagues associated with National League South |
| 8 | Eight regional leagues | 176 teams (22 in each league) | 16 total (2 promotion for each league) | 32 total (4 from each league) | For promotion, 2 leagues feed to one regional league in level 7. For relegation, each league feeds to 1 of 2 regional leagues in level 9 |
| 9 | 16 regional leagues | 321 total teams | 2 from each league | 2 from each league | |
| 10 | 17 regional leagues | 340 total teams | Variable | Variable | There is promotion and relegation but it varies |
| 11 | 49 regional leagues | 773 total teams | Variable | Variable | |
| 12-20 | Multiple regional leagues (estimate over 400) | 4355 total teams | Variable | Variable | Presumed amateur |
Table 2 – North American Soccer Tiers (USL = United Soccer League)
| Tier | League | # of teams | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Major League Soccer (MLS) | 30 | |
| 2 | USL Championship | 25 | |
| 3 | MLS Next Pro | 30 | |
| USL League One | 18 | ||
| 4 | USL League Two | 158 | Amateur league with 4 conferences and 19 divisions. Primarily summer league for collegiate players |
Table 3 – North American football tiers suggested model based on world soccer system – professional and amateur (simplified to include known entities)
| Level | League | # of Teams | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Football League (NFL) | 32 | Stand-alone league; no promotion nor relegation. Players may switch leagues but teams do not. No international competition |
| 2 | Canadian Football League (CFL) | 9 | Highest level in Canada but below NFL in talent |
| 3 | United Football League (UFL) | 8 | Merger of XFL and USFL; new and unproven sustainability |
| 3 | Continental Football League | 8 | 2026 is inaugural season |
| 4 | Arena Football Leagues (multiple – approx. 10) | 26 (possibly more) | Various leagues and tiers within arena football |
| 4 | NCAA Division I | 265 | 2 divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision |
| 5 | NCAA Division II | 162 | |
| 6 | NCAA Division III | 240 |
Table 4 – Baseball tiers: United States and Canada (Levels 1-6 professional)
| Level | League/Association | # of Teams | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Major League Baseball (MLB) | 30 | |
| 2 | AAA | 30 | 2 leagues; 1 AAA team associated with 1 MLB team |
| 3 | AA | 30 | 3 leagues; 1 AA team associated with 1 MLB team |
| 4 | A+ (High A) | 30 | 3 leagues; 1 A+ team associated with 1 MLB team |
| 5 | A (Single A) | 30 | 3 leagues; 1 A team associated with 1 MLB team |
| 6 | Rookie | 30 | 2 leagues; 1 rookie team associated with 1 MLB team |
| 3-5 | Independent Leagues (4) | 52 | 4 leagues; teams not associated with MLB teams. Comparable to levels 3-5 |
| 7 | National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (12 leagues) | 105 | Collegiate players interested in playing professionally but retain amateur status. Cape Cod Baseball League considered most prestigious |
| 8 | NCAA/NAIA | Approx. 1100 | NCAA Divisions I-III plus NAIA |
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