Highland League 2026/27

My first venture into the Highland League came in August 2019, while visiting family in the area, and I have been back many times since to this beautiful part of the country.

It is a historic competition, founded in 1893, and one that existed almost entirely in its own world for much of its time, until the election in the 1990's of Ross County and the newly-formed Inverness Caledonian Thistle (from a fractious merger of two famous Highland League clubs) into the Scottish Football League.

Now firmly part of the Scottish pyramid system, the league is still a focal point of life in many towns in the Highlands, its clubs and their volunteers working hard to get matches on.

There are some lovely grounds with many stunning backdrops and the whole thing is superbly covered by the regional Press & Journal newspaper.

It's well worth a visit at any time of the year but the early weeks of the season are particularly enticing. 

Fixtures are available on the BBC Football pages with the season beginning on Saturday 25th July when champions Brora Rangers host Deveronvale and excitement is usually guaranteed right through to the end of the campaign as the title race has gone to the final day in the past five seasons.

Affordable Archive: Changes in the Welsh Premier

In July 2019 we looked at the restructuring of the game in Wales as the two feeder leagues into the Cymru Premier came under the control of the FAW.

I wrote at the time that the top league 'has consistently fared well on affordability in surveys such as the BBC's Price of Football' and I think that remains the case seven years on as the game in Wales prepares for an even bigger change in the upcoming, 2026/27 season.

The number of clubs in the top-flight has increased from 12 to 16 as part of an FAW push to increase interest, revenues and attendances, with the hope that almost every club will have something to play for come the end of the season, even if TNS are once again crowned champions, as the league will split into three tiers after 30 matches.

From a spectator point of view the big changes is a move to have matches played mostly on a Friday night, starting on 31 July with fixtures that may be of interest to anyone on holiday in North Wales as both Colwyn Bay and Llandudno have home games.

A Different View

 

A view across the cricket field at Sandygate towards the main stand at Hallam FC on Saturday afternoon.

Some watering of the football pitch was taking place ahead of Tuesday evening's friendly, against a Sheffield United XI, while Hallam will also be at home in the Extra Preliminary Round of the 2026/27 FA Cup following this week's draw.

Irlam FC will travel across the Pennines on the weekend of 8/9 August.

Training Day

I always think that open training sessions on the pitch at a club's main stadium, especially in pre-season and during the school summer holidays, are a really easy way of engaging with supporters and providing a low-budget activity for families.

Two such sessions spotted in the past week or so are at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane on Monday 27th July and at Aberdeen's Pittodrie on Tuesday 28th. Tickets for both are free but should be claimed online through the respective club websites.

New Beginnings

Writing about football at lower-league and grassroots level for a number of years means that you often see clubs come and go, rise and fall.

In August 2015 there was free admission for all at Throstle Nest as Farsley Celtic celebrated being able to re-take that name, after five years as Farsley AFC, formed in 2010 when the original club folded.

But the club ran into difficulties again, culminating in liquidation in December 2025 and the forming of a phoenix club, FC Farsley, who will enter the pyramid at Step 7 this coming season (the Yorkshire Amateur Football League), a lowly start but with games being played back at Throstle Nest (pitch problems in 2024/25 led to some 'home' matches being played as far away as Buxton) it means football is back in the village.

In a bid to rebuild connections with the local community, admission throughout the 26/27 campaign will be on a 'Pay What You Feel' basis and you may even see shareholder Adebayo Akinfenwa at a game!