North of Scotland Football League
Football league
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The North of Scotland Football League (NoSFL) is a football league based in the north east of Scotland.[1] The league sits at levels 6–7 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Highland Football League.[2] It is split into two separate leagues, the Premier League and the Championship which contain 16 teams and 15 teams respectively. Geographically, the league covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Highland and Moray. The league is the direct successor to the North Region Junior Football League which had been run by the North Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association from 2001 until 2025.[3]
| Founded | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Scotland |
| Number of clubs | 31 |
| Level on pyramid | 6–7 |
| Promotion to | Highland League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Cup (SFA licensed clubs and Premier League winners) Scottish Junior Cup |
| Website | NoSFL |
Subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for the Highland League, the winners of the NoSFL take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the North Caledonian Football League champions, with the winner being promoted to the Highland League.[4] As of the 2025–26 season, no team in the NoSFL meets the required licensing criteria.[5]
History
The North Region Junior Football League had been formed in 2001 to serve the North Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association, but by 2025 the SJFA had seen mass departures by clubs to the newly-grown Scottish football pyramid. In February 2025, the North Region (along with the East Region in charge of the Midlands Football League) applied to leave the SJFA in favour of creating autonomous, Scottish Football Association-affiliated leagues with support from the SJFA (which was rebranding itself as the Scottish Community FA).[6] The application was accepted by all members of Scottish football at the 2025 SFA Annual General Meeting, confirming the creation of the North of Scotland Football League with an identical divisional setup to its predecessor.[7] The first round of matches in the new league were played on Saturday 2 August 2025.[8]
Member clubs for the 2025–26 season
– Premier Division
– First Division
– Premier Division – First DivisionThe current system sees two clubs automatically relegated from the Premier League, who are replaced by two clubs from the Championship. The third-bottom club in the Premier League enters a play-off with the clubs who finish between third and fifth in the Championship. In the semi-finals, the Premier League side plays the fifth-placed Championship side, and the third and fourth-placed teams play each other, both games over two legs. The winners then progress to a single-leg final.
Premier League
| Club[9] | Location | Ground | Finishing position 2024–25 (NRJFA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banks o' Dee A | Aberdeen | Spain Park[10] | 11th |
| Bridge of Don Thistle | Aberdeen | Aberdeen Sports Village[11] | 3rd |
| Buchanhaven Hearts | Peterhead | Raemoss Park[12] | 9th |
| Colony Park | Inverurie | Colony Park[13] | 8th |
| Culter | Peterculter | Crombie Park[14] | 1st (champions) |
| Dyce | Dyce | Ian Mair Park[15] | 4th |
| East End | Aberdeen | New Advocates Park[16] | 12th |
| Ellon United | Ellon | The Meadows[17] | 6th |
| Hermes | Bridge of Don | Lochside Park[18] | 2nd |
| Islavale | Keith | Simpson Park[19] | 14th |
| Longside | Longside | Davidson Park[20] | 2nd in NRJFA Championship |
| Lossiemouth United | Lossiemouth | Phoenix Park[21] | 1st in NRJFA Championship |
| Maud | Maud | Maud Pleasure Park[22] | 5th |
| Sunnybank | Aberdeen | Heathryfold Park[23] | 13th |
| Stonehaven | Stonehaven | Glenury Park[24] | 7th |
| Rothie Rovers | Rothienorman | Forgue Road[25] | 10th |
Championship
| Club[26] | Location | Ground | Finishing position 2024–25 (NRJFA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banchory St Ternan | Banchory | Milton Park | 6th |
| Burghead Thistle | Burghead | Forest Park | 9th |
| Cruden Bay | Cruden Bay | Watson Park | 14th |
| Deveronside | Banff | Myrus Centre | 4th |
| Dufftown | Dufftown | Westburn Park | 10th |
| Forres Thistle | Forres | Logie Park | 13th |
| Fraserburgh United | Fraserburgh | College Park | 16th in NRJFA Premier League |
| Glentanar | Woodside | Woodside Sports Complex | 12th |
| Hall Russell United | Bridge of Don | Denmore Park | 3rd |
| Nairn St Ninian | Nairn | Showfield Park | 7th |
| New Elgin | Elgin | Nicol-Togneri Park | 8th |
| Newmachar United | Newmachar | Charles Gordon Park | 15th in NRJFA Premier League |
| Stoneywood Parkvale | Aberdeen | Stauff Park | 5th |
| Westdyke | Westhill | Lawsondale | 11th |
| Whitehills | Whitehills | School Park | 15th |
Cup competitions
The NoSFL runs a league cup competition for all member clubs, currently known as the Grill League Cup for sponsorship reasons.[7] For the league's inaugural season, this competition will be run as a straight knock-out. With 31 member clubs, one team will receive a bye in the first round.[27]