Following the respective playoff finals concluding on Sunday 1st June, the league is now set.
Dale will face off against six new sides including a couple of old faces and newcomers following on from last season’s promotions and relegations.
Firstly, Carlisle United and Morecambe are the two teams dropping down after their relegations from League Two. We will match up with the Cumbrians after two seasons away whereas we haven’t competed in the same league season as the Shrimps since 2013/14 in which we won both home and away by the same scoreline (2-1).
Making their way back into the fifth tier will be Scunthorpe United who Dale have faced over 100 times and is the one of our most frequent fixtures in history. The Iron earned promotion via the National League North playoffs with extra-time victory over Chester.
Also gaining success from the same division is Brackley Town who won all six of their remaining games to pip the league title by two points, meaning a brand new opponent awaits us.
As for the South Division, Truro City came through a nervy final day with a 5-2 win over St.Albans City to beat Torquay United to top spot on goal difference, handing Dale a first-ever visit to the Truro City Stadium.
Boreham Wood are the final team to rejoin the National League after just one season away. Luke Garrard’s men suffered relegation on the final day in 2024 but thanks to a playoff triumph over Maidstone United, they bounced back at the first time of asking.
Fixture release day and a start date for the 25/26 season will be confirmed by the National League in due course.
25/26 NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS
Aldershot Town
Altrincham
Boreham Wood
Boston United
Brackley Town
Braintree Town
Carlisle United
Eastleigh
FC Halifax Town
Forest Green Rovers
Gateshead
Hartlepool United
Morecambe
Rochdale
Scunthorpe
Solihull Moors
Southend United
Sutton United
Tamworth
Truro City
Wealdstone
Woking
Yeovil Town
York City
