Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and the three divisions of The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football League were therefore non-League clubs. The term is very misleading as the vast majority of football clubs in England play in a league.
English Football League
The "League" of "non-League football" refers to the Football League, rather than leagues in general – "non-League" clubs play most of their football in league competitions. There are many leagues below the level of The Football League, and some, such as the Northern League, are almost as old as The Football League itself. The most senior of these leagues are loosely organised by The Football Association, the sport's governing body in England, into a National League System (NLS). The NLS has seven levels or steps, and includes over 50 separate leagues, many with more than one division.