Bracknell Town, Ascot United, Binfield, Hungerford Town and Windsor & Eton have been given a new incentive and target for the upcoming season.
It’s not been reported widely (we’ve only seen it on Weymouth’s Twitter account) but from next season we understand that the Southern League will move to an extended playoff format similar to the National League – and you would expect this format to extend across the Isthmian and Northern Leagues.
It will work as follows:
- The Champions will be promoted.
- The teams in second and third will progress to the semi-finals and will host the semi-finals.
- The teams in fourth to seventh will play “quarter-finals” for a chance to play the teams in second and third.
While a seventh place finish would leave a club having to play three play-off matches away from home, it’s another route to a potential promotion.
It will help ensure the season lasts longer as many clubs will still be in with a shot of the playoffs as the season’s end approaches. Whether it’s fair that a team that finishes in seventh could gain promotion, while a team in second does not, is another matter entirely.
The Southern League is due to start on 8th August 2026 with a season end of Saturday 17th April 2027. The playoffs will begin on 20th April 2027 with the final due on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May 2027.
