The Conference National, now known as the National League, is the fifth tier of the English football league system. It was established in 1979 and serves as the highest level of non-league football in England. Teams in this league compete for promotion to the Football League, which is the next tier above. The league consists of clubs from across England and Wales, with a total of 24 teams competing each season. The team that finishes at the top of the league is automatically promoted, while the teams finishing in lower positions have the chance to compete in playoffs for additional promotion opportunities.