The 2025–26 North West Counties Football League season was the 44th in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a regional football competition in England.
The league comprised three divisions: the Premier Division (at level 9 of the English football league system, Step 5 National League System) and two regional divisions at level 10 or Step 6; the latter were designated the First Division North and First Division South, with the champions of each division competing in a single match for the First Division Champions Cup. Additionally, there were two cup competitions: the League Challenge Cup (known as the Macron Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons), a knockout competition open to all the league's clubs; and the First Division Trophy (known as the Edward Case Cup, named after the trophy), a knockout trophy competition for First Division clubs only.
Premier Division
Four clubs had left the division after the previous season: Bury, promoted as champions to the Northern Premier League Division One West Colne, relegated to the First Division North Lower Breck, promoted as promotion play-off winners to the Northern Premier League Division One West Squires Gate, relegated to the First Division North
The 2025–26 Premier Division club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2025 and was adopted at the league's AGM on 21 June 2025. The division comprised twenty-four clubs, twenty had been members the previous season and they were joined by four additional clubs: Atherton Laburnum Rovers, promoted as champions of the First Division North City of Liverpool, relegated from Northern Premier League Division One West Euxton Villa, the promotion play-off winners from the First Division North Wythenshawe, relegated from the Northern Premier League Division One West
At the end of the season champions Wythenshawe who had been relegated into the division won immediate promotion back to the Northern Premier League Division One West where they were joined by promotion play-off winners (who had finished fourth in the division) Padiham.
After the season three clubs resigned from the league: Stockport Town (citing sustainability considerations), Pilkington (who discontinued their first team) and City of Liverpool (unable to secure a ground). The latter club who had been relegated into the division at the start of the season and occupied a relegation position at its end. They had conceded more goals (187) than any previous Premier Division club (the previous high was 171 by Barnton in the 2017–18 season) and had the division all-time highest negative goal difference (−149). Owing to the resignation of Pilkington, Litherland REMYCA were reprieved from relegation. Also leaving the division, in a lateral transfer directed by the FA Leagues Committee in the 2026–27 club allocations to the Midland League Premier Division, were Cheadle Town and West Didsbury & Chorlton.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2025–26 Premier Division promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Padiham who had occupied fourth position in the division.
Semifinals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Location Abbey Hey The Abbey Stadium Manchester AFC Liverpool Rossett Park (groundshare with Marine) Crosby Atherton Laburnum Rovers Crilly Park Atherton Barnoldswick Town Greenberfield Lane Barnoldswick Burscough The Community Stadium Burscough Chadderton MCA Stadium Chadderton Charnock Richard Mossie Park Charnock Richard Cheadle Town Park Road Stadium Cheadle City of Liverpool The Community Stadium Burscough Euxton Villa Jim Fowler Memorial Ground Euxton FC Isle of Man The Bowl Douglas FC St Helens Windleshaw Sports St Helens Glossop North End Surrey Street Glossop Irlam Silver Street Salford Litherland REMYCA Litherland Sports Park Litherland Longridge Town Mike Riding Ground Longridge Padiham Arbories Memorial Sports Ground Padiham Pilkington Ruskin Drive Sportsground St Helens Prestwich Heys Adie Moran Park Whitefield Ramsbottom United Harry Williams Riverside Stadium Ramsbottom South Liverpool Jericho Lane Liverpool Stockport Town Stockport Sports Village Stockport West Didsbury & Chorlton Brookburn Road Manchester Wythenshawe Hollyhedge Park Manchester
First Division North
Four clubs had left the division after the previous season: Atherton Laburnum Rovers, promoted as champions to the Premier Division Euxton Villa, promoted as promotion play-off winners to the Premier Division Route One Rovers, reprieved from relegation, then transferred laterally to the Northern Counties East League Division One Skelmersdale United, relegated to the Liverpool County Premier League
The 2025–26 First Division North club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2025 and was adopted at the league's AGM on 21 June 2025. The division comprised eighteen clubs, fourteen had been members the previous season and they joined by four additional clubs: Colne, relegated from Premier Division Fulwood Amateurs, promoted from fourth in the West Lancashire League MSB Woolton, promoted as champions of the Liverpool County Premier League Squires Gate, relegated from Premier Division
At the end of the season champions Nelson and promotion play-off winners Droylsden (who had finished second in the division) were promoted to the Premier Division. All three clubs in the relegation positions in the table, Ashton Athletic, Garstang (for the third successive season) and Maine Road, were reprieved from relegation; the former two as their points per game ratio were better than other Step 6 relegation candidates, and the latter (Maine Road), who were initially selected for relegation, were reprieved as an indirect consequence of Pilkington resigning from the Premier Division.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2025–26 First Division North promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Droylsden who had been runners-up of the division.
Semifinals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Location AFC Blackpool The Mechanics Blackpool Ashton Athletic Brockstedes Park Wigan Ashton Town Edge Green Street Wigan Bacup Borough West View Bacup Colne Holt House Colne Daisy Hill New Sirs Westhoughton Darwen The Anchor Ground Darwen Droylsden Butcher's Arms Ground Droylsden Fulwood Amateurs Lightfoot Green Preston Garstang The Riverside Garstang Holker Old Boys Rakesmoor Lane Barrow-in-Furness Maghull Old Hall Field Liverpool Maine Road Brantingham Road Manchester MSB Woolton Jericho Lane Liverpool Nelson Victoria Park Nelson Squires Gate Brian Addison Stadium Blackpool Steeton Marley Stadium Keighley Thornton Cleveleys Gamble Road Thornton-Cleveleys
First Division South
Two clubs had left the division after the previous season: Abbey Hulton United, promotion play-off winners, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division Winsford United, promoted as champions, transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division
The 2025–26 First Division South club allocations from the FA Leagues Committee (subject to appeal) were announced on 15 May 2025 and was adopted at the league's AGM on 21 June 2025. The division initially comprised nineteen clubs, sixteen had been members the previous season and they were joined by three additional clubs: Haughmond, promoted from third in the Shropshire County League Telford Town, promoted as champions of the West Midlands League Wolverhampton Casuals, relegated and transferred laterally from the Midland League Premier Division
The division lost one of its members mid-season with the resignation, effective on 3 February 2026, of Wolverhampton Sporting; their playing record (P24 W1 D2 L21 GF23 GA90) was expunged shortly afterwards.
At the end of the season champions Runcorn Town and promotion play-off winners Stockport Georgians (who had finished fourth in the division) were promoted and as decided by the FA League Committee's 2026-27 league allocations were transferred laterally to the Midland League Premier Division. After one season in the division Haughmond were the only club relegated and sent back to the Shropshire County League; Market Drayton Town who finished in a prospective relegation spot were reprieved as their points per game ratio was better than other Step 6 relegation candidates.
League table
Results Table
Promotion play-offs The 2025–26 First Division South promotion play-offs, contested by the clubs that finished second to fifth position in the league table, were won by Stockport Georgians who had occupied fourth position in the division.
Semifinals
Final
Stadia and locations
Team Stadium Location Allscott Heath Allscott Sports & Social Club Allscott Alsager Town Wood Park Stadium Alsager Ashville Villa Park Wallasey Barnton Townfield Barnton Cammell Laird 1907 Kirklands Birkenhead Cheadle Heath Nomads The Heath Cheadle Eccleshall Pershall Park Stafford Foley Meir Whitcombe Road Stoke-on-Trent Haughmond Shrewsbury Sports Village Shrewsbury Market Drayton Town Greenfields Sports Ground Market Drayton New Mills Church Lane High Peak Runcorn Town Viridor Community Stadium Runcorn Sandbach United Sandbach Community Football Centre Sandbach Shawbury United New Meadow Community 3G Shawbury Stafford Town Evans Park Stafford Stockport Georgians Cromley Road Stockport Telford Town DRM Aggregates Arena Telford Wolverhampton Casuals Brinsford Lane Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Sporting Pride Park Great Wyrley
League Challenge Cup The 2025–26 NWCFL League Challenge Cup (known for sponsorship reasons as The Macron Cup) was open to all 61 clubs from the Premier and First Divisions North & South (indicated in the results listings below by , and respectively). The final, played at Accrington Stanley F.C. and contested by Premier Division clubs, was won 3–1 by AFC Liverpool who defeated West Didsbury & Chorlton.
The cup holders, Charnock Richard, together with the two highest-ranked clubs in the 2024–25 Premier Division that didn't achieve promotion, Ramsbottom United and Padiham, were allocated byes to the second round. For the first two rounds clubs were drawn into four regional groupings: Group 1 comprised sixteen all First Division South clubs; Group 2 included fifteen clubs one of whom, Padiham, were in receipt of a first round bye; Group 3 originally comprised fifteen clubs including cup holders Charnock Richard with a first round bye however, owing to the non-participation of FC Isle of Man in the competition Maghull also passed directly to the second round; Group 4 comprised fifteen clubs including Ramsbottom United with a bye to the second round.
First round TieHome team ScoreAway team Group One 1 Allscott Heath 2–1 Alsager Town 2 Ashville 0–1 Foley Meir 3 Eccleshall 3–1 Market Drayton Town 4 Runcorn Town 1–0 Barnton 5 Sandbach United 4–0 Haughmond 6 Shawbury United 0–2 Wolverhampton Casuals 7 Stafford Town 1–1 Cammell Laird 1907 8 Telford Town 7–1 Wolverhampton Sporting Group Two 9 Bacup Borough 0–0 AFC Blackpool 10 Darwen 0–0 Garstang 11 Euxton Villa 5–0 Holker Old Boys 12 Fulwood Amateurs 1–1 Nelson 13 Longridge Town 1–3 Barnoldswick Town 14 Squires Gate 2–4 Colne 15 Thornton Cleveleys 4–0 Steeton Group Three 16 AFC Liverpool 3–1 South Liverpool 17 Ashton Athletic 2–3 FC St Helens 18 Ashton Town 3–4 City of Liverpool 19 Daisy Hill 0–0 Burscough 20 Litherland REMYCA 2–2 MSB Woolton 21 Pilkington 0–1 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Group Four 22 Abbey Hey 2–1 Stockport Georgians 23 Cheadle Town 3–2 Glossop North End 24 Droylsden 1–2 Maine Road 25 Irlam 0–3 Chadderton 26 Stockport Town 2–3 Prestwich Heys 27 West Didsbury & Chorlton 4–0 Cheadle Heath Nomads 28 Wythenshawe 1–2 New Mills
Second round