Facility Development

Ground Grading and Ground Improvement

The FA National League System (NLS) and Women’s Pyramid provide a structure for the senior levels of the male and female game respectively in England.

The NLS operates directly below the English Football League (EFL) League 2 through to county level Step 7 represented in Oxfordshire by the Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division. Similarly, the Women’s Pyramid begins immediately below the Women’s Super League 2 and ends at county league level Step 6.

The FA work closely with both structures to implement a standardised set of facility requirements, or ground grades, to ensure club facilities are of a sufficient standard to cater for the playing and safety needs of the game at that level. Any club wishing to enter either structure or progress within it must meet the ground grading at the desired level before they are able to proceed.

The male NLS steps, grades and links to requirements for Oxfordshire are as follows:

Grade A	Step 1, National League	Information Sheet (Grade A)
Grade B	Step 2, National League South	Information Sheet (Grade B)
Grade C	Step 3, Southern League Premier Division	Information Sheet (Grade C)
Grade D	Step 4, Southern League Division One	Information Sheet (Grade D)
Grade E	The entry requirement for Step 4	Information Sheet (Grade E)
Grade F	Step 5, Hellenic League Premier Division	Information Sheet (Grade F)
Grade G	Step 6, Hellenic League Division One	Information Sheet (Grade G)
Grade H	The entry requirement for Step 6	Information Sheet (Grade H)
Minimum Grading Requirements	Step 7, Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division	Information Sheet (MGR)

The Women’s Pyramid steps and grades for Oxfordshire are as follows:

Grade A	Step 1, FA Women’s Premier League - National Division
Grade A	Step 2, FA Women’s Premier League - National Division
Grade B	Step 3, South West Women’s Combination League
Grade C	Step 4, Southern Women’s Regional League – Premier Division
N/A	Step 5, Southern Women’s Regional League – Division One
N/A	Step 6, Thames Valley Women’s League

The grading requirements for the Women’s Pyramid can be found here.

Need Funding?

The Premier League Stadium Fund provides financial support to football clubs towards their ground improvement projects.

Funded by the Premier League with an annual budget of £6m, the fund awards capital grants to clubs from the Football League down to the lower levels of the FA National League System to improve safety at their stadia and to enable them to satisfy The FA’s ground grading requirements.

For more information on the Premier League Stadium Fund and what is available, simply visit their website.