On the final matchday of the 2025–26 National League season, Rochdale and York City faced each other to decide both the league winner and who would automatically be promoted to the 2026–27 EFL League Two.
| Event | 2025–26 National League | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Date | 25 April 2026 | ||||||
| Venue | Spotland Stadium, Rochdale | ||||||
| Referee | Will Finnie | ||||||
| Attendance | 7,221[1] | ||||||
| Weather | Sunny[1][2] | ||||||
Rochdale took the lead in the 95th minute, thanks to a goal from Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. However, after the resumption of the match following a pitch invasion, York City's Josh Stones scored in the 103rd minute, securing York City both the National League title and a return to the English Football League for the first time in 10 years. This also marked York City's first league title of any kind since they won the Football League Fourth Division in the 1983–84 season.
The game was streamed on DAZN worldwide, with team specific commentary available on BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio York.
Background
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York City | 45 | 33 | 8 | 4 | 113 | 40 | +73 | 107 |
| 2 | Rochdale | 45 | 33 | 6 | 6 | 87 | 40 | +47 | 105 |
Going into the match, both teams were separated by only two points, with York City on 107 points, while Rochdale were on 105 points,[3] meaning that Rochdale needed a win to get promoted,[4][5] otherwise York City would be promoted instead.[6][7][2] The last time two teams in the National League achieved over 100 points was during the 2022–23 season, when Wrexham and Notts County got 111 and 107 points respectively.[8][4] This was also the first time a single league match was a title-decider in England since Liverpool faced Arsenal in May 1989.[9]
Prior to this match, Rochdale and York City had already faced each other twice during the 2025–26 season. The first time came during the FA Cup fourth qualifying round on 11 October 2025, where York City won 2–1,[10] while the second came in the team's previous league fixture against each other on 11 November 2025, where York City won 4–1.[11][2]
York City nearly won the league title during the previous matchday, following a 3–0 win at home against Yeovil Town,[12] but Rochdale forward Emmanuel Dieseruvwe managed to score a 99th-minute injury time winner in a 2–1 win against Braintree Town to keep them in the title race.[8][2]
Before the match, York City manager Stuart Maynard called the match "one of the biggest games in the English football pyramid."[8] Additionally, both clubs released a statement the day prior to the match, confirming both of their supports for the idea of adding a third promoted team between the National League and the EFL League Two.[13][14][15][2]
The match
editA total of 7,221 fans were in attendance for the match at the Spotland Stadium,[1] with another 4,500 fans watching it from the screen at the LNER Community Stadium in York.[16][7]
During the first half of the match, Dan Moss scored from a Tobi Adebayo-Rowling cross for Rochdale, but it was ruled out because of a foul on York City goalkeeper Harrison Male.[9][15] York City later got a free kick, which Alex Hunt lofted in to Ollie Pearce, but was saved by Manchester City loanee Ollie Whatmuff. Whatmuff later denied Josh Stones a one-on-one opportunity shortly after half-time, as well as saving a goal from Joe Grey near the end of the match.[15]
Rochdale took the lead in the 95th minute, when a cross by substitute Ian Henderson was headed in by Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, with Rochdale fans invading the pitch to celebrate the goal, thinking they had won.[3][6][4][17][2] It took six minutes for the match to resume,[5] but in the 103rd minute of the match, York City's Josh Stones scored the equalising goal with almost the last kick of the match.[5][17][2] Despite the controversy of some believing the goal didn't cross the line, the linesman clearly saw that the ball did fully cross the line, and gave the signal to the referee, who awarded the goal,[18][14][15] triggering another pitch invasion, this time by York City fans.[3][6][4] Rochdale had just enough time to fire the ball back into the York half with what was to be the last kick of the game, but it was too late, as the final whistle blew 5 seconds after the restart.
Details
edit| Rochdale | 1–1 | York City |
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Dieseruvwe  90+5' |
Report | Stones 90+13' |
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Assistant referees:[19]
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Aftermath
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York City (C, P) | 46 | 33 | 9 | 4 | 114 | 41 | +73 | 108 |
| 2 | Rochdale | 46 | 33 | 7 | 6 | 88 | 41 | +47 | 106 |
The draw secured York City the league title, as well as promotion to the 2026–27 EFL League Two,[3] marking their return to the English Football League for the first time in 10 years.[7][6][4] Following the match, several members of York City, including Josh Stones and manager Stuart Maynard, admitted they hoped Rochdale got promoted, with Maynard claiming it was "scandalous" that a team in the National League could get over 100 points and not be promoted.[1][3][4]
Five people were arrested by Greater Manchester Police following the match, four Rochdale fans and a York City fan, on various charges.[6] Additionally, Josh Stones claimed to have been abused by Rochdale fans during the first pitch invasion.[16] The day after the match, Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were looking into footage of an incident during one of the pitch invasions, where midfielder Hiram Boateng punched a fan.[6][16] Three days later, York City released a statement saying they were supporting Boateng 'through all proceedings' following the incident.[21]
In the promotion play-off semi-finals, Rochdale were drawn against Scunthorpe United, who had beaten Southend United in the quarter-finals.[22] Rochdale won 2–1 at Spotland, thanks to both a goal from Devante Rodney and an own goal by Scunthorpe United defender Will Evans, to qualify for the play-off final against Boreham Wood at Wembley Stadium on 10 May.[23] In the final, Rochdale went 2–0 down by the 69th minute, before Tyler Smith brought it to 2–1 in the 78th minute, and Emmanuel Dieseruvwe scored a 90+7th minute equalizer to take the match into extra time. Rochdale went on to win 3–1 in a penalty shootout, to secure promotion to the 2026–27 EFL League Two, after three seasons in the National League.[24][25]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 Unwin, Will (25 April 2026). "York City promoted back to EFL in remarkable finale as 106-point Rochdale face playoffs". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Johnson, Dale (25 April 2026). "York are back in the Football League - in the most dramatic fashion". BBC Sport.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Lengronne, Victor (25 April 2026). "Un dénouement dingue en D5 anglaise : deux buts dans les arrêts de jeu et à la fin, c'est York qui monte" [A crazy ending in English D5: two goals in stoppage time and in the end, it's York who go up]. L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Savage, Nick (26 April 2026). "'The maddest ever': Utter chaos as pitch invasion allows 103rd-minute promotion sealer". Fox Sports. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 "York wins promotion to English Football League after extraordinary late drama at Rochdale". AP News. 25 April 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rochdale 1-1 York: Police 'aware' of video appearing to show York player punching fan". BBC Sport. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 Callow, Fiona (25 April 2026). "York City fans 'tears and triumph' at National League title decider". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Woodcock, Ian (24 April 2026). "Rochdale v York City: National League set for final-day title decider". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 Wobschall, Leon (25 April 2026). "Rochdale 1 York City 1: Finale to end all finales as last-gasp Josh Stones returns Minstermen to EFL". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ Heaton, Joe (11 October 2025). "Dale Exit FA Cup". Rochdale AFC. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ "York City 4-1 Rochdale: Hosts thump National League promotion rivals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ "York City 3-0 Yeovil Town: Title celebrations cut short". The Non-League Football Paper. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ Hewitt, Matty (24 April 2026). "Rochdale and York City release statement ahead of National League title showdown". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 "York City promoted to League Two after dramatic draw with title rivals Rochdale". Reuters. 25 April 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Castle, Will (25 April 2026). "How York broke Rochdale hearts in eight minutes of title-deciding chaos". The Independent. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Sutcliffe, Richard (26 April 2026). "Police looking into footage of National League player appearing to strike fan in dramatic final-day match". The Athletic. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- 1 2 Jobling, Phoebe (25 April 2026). "Rochdale suffer heartbreak as York's 103rd-minute goal sparks pitch invasion". Manchester Evening News.
- ↑ Hewitt, Matty (25 April 2026). "Rochdale vs York ends in dramatic scenes after pitch invasions and late goals". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Rochdale 1-1 York City live: Visitors win National League title and promotion with 103rd-minute equaliser". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
- ↑ "Enterprise National League". National League. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ Britton, Paul (29 April 2026). "York City issues statement 'supporting player' as fan punched in Rochdale game". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "Iron to visit Rochdale in promotion semi-final at the Crown Oil Arena". 29 April 2026. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ↑ Hoad, Alex; Riley, Jamie (3 May 2026). "Rochdale 2-1 Scunthorpe United: Dale reach National League promotion final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Hoad, Alex (10 May 2026). "Boreham Wood 2–2 Rochdale". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ Bloom, Ben (10 May 2026). "Rochdale return to Football League in shootout after Boreham Wood thriller". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2026.