The world’s oldest national football tournament, the FA Cup, is perhaps the most fascinating competition in the sport – the very epitome of a “level playing field.” Contested by nearly 750 clubs every year (747 in the current season), from preliminary qualifying rounds to the grand finale, the tournament, which began in 1871, remains one of football’s most prestigious prizes.
Over the decades, the FA Cup has delivered countless underdog stories, where lower-division teams have stunned established giants. The first six qualifying rounds are played by National League sides (levels 5–10), and as the competition progresses, the survivors are eventually drawn against EFL Championship and Premier League clubs.
The recent FA Cup clash between defending champions Crystal Palace and Macclesfield FC (formerly Macclesfield Town) produced one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history – if not the greatest. Ranked 117 places below Palace, Macclesfield knocked out the South London club with a 2–1 victory on Saturday, January 10. It was the first time since 1909 that a non-league side had eliminated the reigning champions. Fittingly, the last time it happened, it was Palace themselves who achieved the feat against Wolves. This time, they were on the receiving end.
But what does this victory mean for a National League (Tier 6) side? It may well be the greatest day in the club’s history. The original club, Macclesfield Town – founded in 1874 – was dismantled in 2020 due to unpaid debts of around £500,000. From those ashes emerged a phoenix club, Macclesfield FC, forced to restart from Tier 8 of English football. This win, therefore, is not just an upset; it is a powerful statement of survival, resilience, and belief.
This is precisely why we love the game, and why a pyramid league structure matters. For players, coaches, and support staff who earn modest wages or even work on a voluntary basis, defeating a Premier League side – and that too the defending champions – becomes a moment of folklore. These non-league clubs are deeply embedded in their communities, run by people who live the club every day. For them, such a victory is worth no less than a title.
A heart-warming moment captured this spirit perfectly. In a video shared on social media, Macclesfield’s Sam Heathcote, a PE teacher at Stamford Park Primary School, was welcomed by his students with cheers and applause. He is a local hero. So are his teammates, many of whom balance football with full-time jobs.
And this is exactly why a pyramid structure is vital to keeping the soul of the game alive.
In India, there are numerous state leagues and an increasing number of franchise-based zonal competitions – such as the Super League Kerala and the Bengal Super League. But without a clearly defined pyramid system, these teams will never get the chance to test themselves against the top tier of Indian football. The structure remains largely ad hoc, with no consistent pathway from regional or state leagues into the national system.
Franchise leagues operate in isolation, disconnected from the national league hierarchy. State leagues, too, often fail to feed teams upward purely on merit. A telling example came in 2019–20: when Peerless SC won the Calcutta Football League Premier Division A, it was Bhawanipore FC that secured the I-League 2 spot instead, due to licensing issues.
The problems in Indian football are many and complex. But stories like Macclesfield FC serve as a powerful reminder of what a deeply rooted pyramid structure can achieve – not just in terms of competition, but in preserving the very essence of the sport.
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