The 2015–16 National League season (known as the Vanarama National League for sponsorship reasons) was the first season under the new title of

National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...

, the twelfth season consisting of three divisions and the thirty-seventh season overall. The National League covers the top two levels of

Non-League football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The National League is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid, while the

National League North The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...

and

National League South The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National League (English football), National Leagues and step ...

exist at the sixth level. The top team and the winner of the play-off of the Premier division will be promoted to League Two, while the bottom four are relegated to the North or South divisions. The champions of the North and South divisions will be promoted to the Premier division, alongside the play-off winners from each division. The bottom three in each of the North and South divisions are relegated to the premier divisions of the

Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League is an English Association football, football league that was founded in 1968. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern Football League, Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English footba ...

Isthmian League The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs. Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...

or Southern League. On 6 April 2015, it was announced that as of the 2015–16 season the League was to undergo a name change from the Football Conference to the National League. As well as the name change, the league's logo has been re-designed and the league's broadcaster

BT Sport TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) is a group of pay television sports channels in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group, they first launched as B ...

has signed a new three-year contract. The structure of the league and the title sponsor Vanarama however remain the same.

National League

Promotion and relegation

Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference North * Barrow (League champions) *

Guiseley Guiseley ( ) is an area in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated south of Otley and Menston and is now a north-west ...

(Play-off winners) Teams promoted from 2014–15 Conference South *

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is southeast of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 88,000 as of 2023. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, charte ...

(League champions) * Boreham Wood (Play-off winners) Teams relegated from 2014–15 League Two * Cheltenham Town * Tranmere Rovers

Stadia and locations

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Results

Top scorers

National League North

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier * AFC Telford United * Alfreton Town * Nuneaton Town Teams promoted from 2014–15 Northern Premier League Premier Division *

F.C. United of Manchester Football Club United of Manchester, more commonly known as FC United, is a semi-professional association football, football club based in Moston, Manchester, Moston, Manchester, England, that competes in the , the seventh tier of the English ...

(League Champions) * Curzon Ashton (Play-off Winners) Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division * Corby Town (League Champions)

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Results

Stadia and locations

Top scorers

National League South

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated from 2014–15 Conference Premier *

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...

Teams transferred from 2014–15 Conference North * Oxford City Teams promoted from 2014–15 Isthmian League Premier Division * Maidstone United (League Champions) *

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Thanet District of Kent, England. It is located on the north coast of Kent and covers an area of long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and W ...

(Play-off Winners) Teams promoted from 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division * Truro City (Play-off Winners)

League table

Play-offs

First leg

Second leg

Final

Results

Stadium and locations

Top scorers

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2015-16 National League National League (English football) seasons 5 Eng