The National League hit back at the EFL board by launching a ‘day of action’ with a new kick off time for one round of fixtures.
“3UP Day of Action” will take place on November 15th, 2025, shifting all 3pm fixtures to 3:03pm to promote their campaign for three promotion spots into the English Football League (EFL).
This move responds to the EFL Board’s refusal to formally discuss the issue with its 72 member clubs.
The campaign, supported by 93% of football fans (including 83% of EFL fans) per a Football Supporters Association poll, aims to address the lack of promotion opportunities for National League clubs.
All 72 National League clubs, along with fans, players, managers, media, and MPs, back the initiative, which seeks to ensure fairness and financial resilience in football.
The EFL’s concerns about “competitive balance” are dismissed, as historical data shows no relegated title-winning clubs since 2003. The event aims to rally support for change and pressure the EFL to act.
We have today called on the entire football family to support a 3UP Day of Action next month đ˘
All fixtures on Saturday 15 November will kick-off at the later time of 3.03pm â˛ď¸
â Enterprise National League (@NL_Enterprise) October 11, 2025
LEAGUE STATEMENT:
The National League has called on the entire football family to support a 3UP Day of Action next month and will change all its 3pm fixtures on Saturday 15 November to kick-off at the later time of 3.03pm.
In the build-up to these games, the National League will mobilise football clubs across the UK, fan groups, players, managers, media personalities and politicians to highlight its widely popular campaign to attain three promotions into the English Football League (EFL).
This unprecedented step is a response to the EFL Boardâs unchanged stance on 3UP and their continued refusal to formally consult its 72 member clubs on the matter.
Over the coming weeks, the National League will reveal exactly what supporters of the 3UP campaign will do to help make these unique kick-off times a significant and impactful moment. On Saturday 15 November there are 24 National League teams across the country in action – and all of their fixtures will start at 3.03pm, as follows:
⢠Altrincham v Brackley Town
⢠Boreham Wood v Tamworth
⢠Braintree Town v Truro
⢠Carlisle United v Eastleigh
⢠Forest Green Rovers v Gateshead
⢠Hartlepool United v Wealdstone
⢠Rochdale v Aldershot Town
⢠Solihull Moors v Scunthorpe United
⢠Sutton United v FC Halifax Town
⢠Woking v Boston United
⢠Yeovil Town v Southend United
⢠York City v Morecambe
The 3UP Day of Action has the backing of the 72 National League clubs who are all playing their part in this latest initiative.
Whilst the 48 National League North and South clubs do not have league fixtures on the day itself (it is Second Round Qualifying of the FA Trophy the same weekend) they will be fully involved as they were for the 3UP campaign launch.
Since launch, the 3UP campaign has now received widespread support from football organisations, sporting opinion formers, prominent broadcasters and dozens of MPs across all political parties â who are actively lobbying the EFL for change on behalf of the National League.
Some of these MPs will take part in the 3UP Day of Action and recognise the campaignâs âPut Football Firstâ mission will help the new Independent Football Regulator achieve its publicly stated goals of protecting the financial resilience of clubs and preserving the heritage of the game for fans.
Over 93% of football supporters from across all divisions of the professional football pyramid support 3UP, including a significant 83% of EFL fans.
These figures come from a substantive poll conducted by the Football Supporters Association (FSA) which has led to the well-respected body adopting 3UP as their official policy.
National League chair Jack Pearce MBE says: âOur 72 clubs â the majority of whom are over a century old and household names â simply wonât accept the current circumstances blocking them from parity and fairness with all the other professional teams in England.
âIn response to the 3UP campaign launch, the EFL stated their understandable concerns over the âcompetitive balanceâ across all leagues within the football pyramid and cited this as an underlying reason for delaying the matter of 3UP. But we donât believe this should be the reason preventing progression on the matter.
âThe âcompetitive balanceâ issue simply doesnât apply between the National League and EFL. For example, since two promotions were introduced to the National League in 2003, no title-winning club has ever been relegated from the EFL the following season. And almost half the clubs currently in the EFLâs three leagues have competed in the National League at one time or other.
âSince launching 3UP, we have been contacted by a remarkable number of EFL clubs who are privately supportive of the change but havenât even been given the chance as a group of clubs to formerly discuss it.
âEFL chair Rick Parry stated nearly two yearsâ ago that the EFL âneeds to look downwards as well as upwardsâ and that 3UP is a âperfectly logical argumentâ. We remain grateful for this broad outlook, but unfortunately no meaningful action has been forthcoming from the league since then.
âWe therefore donât think it is too much to ask the EFL to take some unconditional and supportive action to help all National League clubs up and down the country attain another promotion place. They have been waiting for 23 years for this moment. The forthcoming 3UP Day of Action on Saturday 15 November will be a great chance for everyone who cares about the national game to get involved and show their support to our clubs and fans. Together we can put football first.â
National League 3pm fixtures on Sat Nov 15 will kick off at 3.03pm to promote its campaign for #3UP. The League wants three rather than two promotion places into the EFL. NL also wants clubs across the country, as well as fan groups, players, managers, and politicians to try toâŚ
â Henry Winter (@henrywinter) October 11, 2025
Fans gave their reaction as the National League hit back at the EFL board by launching a ‘day of action’ with a new kick off time…
@OnceADagger: This campaign is partly led by National League Vice Chairman Steve Thompson. The Dagenham MD who has overseen 3 relegations (currently staring at a 4th), 0 promotions & 1 playoff finish in 15 years. Nothing will be achieved with idiots like that in the National League Boardroom
@AdamStevenson7: I wonder if any club that got promoted from the NL to League 2 would still support the initiative?
@trevk37: A lot actually do, it’s those who tread water and just survive that won’t back it.
@Dave_McMillan88: No team in the last 30 years has came up then went straight back down, proving the quality in the NL so I donât think promoted NL teams would disapprove too much
@BigCol19777: Already is league 3. Nearly all are full time and the biggest are getting much higher crowds than most in league 2 and league 1. Itâs a travesty the 3rd promotion spot hasnât happened already. When will it be implemented Henry?
@bigdaver84: sadly as with everything it all comes down to money as if its done in thew NL then then NLN/S will demand 3 up and the promotion prize money will need to be found from somewhere each season
@hithisiswes: That should also be consistent for the leagues below. A league winner, a runner up and a play off winner. Across each and every league.
@RuddyNuisance: Start getting your act together and adopt proper transfer and some form of financial regulation and then you can have a seat at the negotiating table!
@ChrisGilbertson: I still donât understand the EFLâs resistance to this. The maths supports 3Up 3down being more beneficial as if youâre bad enough to go down from the EFL it makes it far easier to come back up. Football rarely does whatâs right but this is a no brainer.
@salopcast: I am now in favour of three up⌠đˇđś
@Dave_McMillan88: Carlisle United fan, being back in the NL it is glaringly obvious that the standard for most is equal, if not higher then league 2. Itâs a crime that only 1 team goes up automatically
@SnowWolfy7: Good. The NL top half could easily hold their own in L2. Look at the number of ‘big’ clubs that have gone down to the NL and stayed there.
@76BHAT: Be careful what you wish for……
@fcislocheng: I agree but they should revert to standard play-offs (4 teams involved) in return.
@JBEddison: It should be a âleague 3â letâs face it but FFP difference between NL and EFL would be murder for some teams down there. Be careful what you wish for etc
I know Boston have likely been forced to put this out, but 3Up (which we all want, obviously) is far more complicated than just “waaah, we want it”.
The abysmal National League needs to stop being abysmal first.
Saying yes to “3Up” is like giving the nuclear codes to a gerbil.
â Trail Of Debt (@TrailOfDebt) October 11, 2025
Also worth pointing out that one of the reasons the National League remains shit and unaccountable is because their clubs don’t push back enough.
Things like, ohhh, I dunno… agreeing to participate in a pointless u21 cup.
So actually, Boston, this is sort of your fault đđť
â Trail Of Debt (@TrailOfDebt) October 11, 2025
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