27 Feb, 2026
The Biggest League Jumps in Professional Football
League Jumps: We rank the largest quality gaps in football. From the Championship to PL, discover the most brutal step-ups between leagues.
If you’ve played Football Manager for a long time you’ll know that the distance between leagues isn’t always the same. Some leagues feel like a marginal increase in difficulty. Whilst, some feel like you have to revamp the whole team just to survive. The league jump that stands out to me is obviously the jump from the Championship to the Premier League. For the last two seasons, no promoted team has survived. But it is not even close to the biggest jump between leagues. I’ve gone through every single league in the world (that is registered on Opta and worked out where the biggest differences are. I’ve done this through looking at the difference of the average team’s score rating between leagues. For example, in the Premier League it’s 91.4 and in the Championship it’s 80.5. So there’s a difference of 10.9 (the average difference is 9.8 by the way). After all this research I have worked out the top 10 biggest jumps in world football. I’ve also looked at why there is such a big jump. Hopefully, the results will interest you and surprise you.
(If you’re interested in the smallest jumps, they are tier 4 to tier 3 in Canada, tier 4 to tier 3 in Ireland and tier 4 to tier 3 in the USA
10) Moldova – Liga 1 (tier 2) to Moldovan Super Liga (tier 1)
Moldova’s big drop comes right at the top of the pyramid. In smaller European leagues like this, the top division tends to hoard almost everything. The best domestic players, the best facilities, the most stable budgets and, crucially, the only realistic shot at European qualification. Once you step down into the second tier, you’re entering a different financial and competitive reality. The depth drops off quickly, and even if there are one or two decent sides, the overall standard just isn’t comparable.
9) Mexico – Liga Premier Serie A (tier 3) to Liga MX tier 2
Mexico’s huge cliff appears between the second and third tiers, which tells you something important: the second division still operates close to a fully professional standard. By the time you hit Tier 3, though, you’re dealing with much smaller budgets, thinner squads and far less consistency. Tier 2 teams can often attract players with top-flight experience; Tier 3 teams generally can’t. That gap in recruitment quality and depth shows up heavily in the ratings.
8) Malta – Gozo First Division (tier 4) to National Amateur League (tier 3)
Malta’s biggest drop doesn’t come at the top, it comes deeper in the pyramid. That usually signals the point where the structure shifts from organised semi-professional football into a much looser, less resourced environment. At that level, you’re not just losing technical quality, you’re losing physical consistency, squad depth and regular training standards. It’s the stage where the floor really falls away.
7) Uruguay – Primera Divisional C (tier 3) to Segunda Division (tier 2)
Uruguay’s sharp drop between Tier 2 and Tier 3 reflects a clear professional divide. The second tier still carries strong footballing infrastructure and benefits from the country’s excellent academy culture. Once you drop another level, you move into a far more developmental space. The organisation, physical intensity and squad balance take a noticeable hit. The best environments are concentrated higher up.
6) Estonia – Esiliiga A (tier 2) to Estonian Premium Liiga (tier 1)
Estonia is another example of a small footballing ecosystem amplifying the gap at the very top. The top division attracts the strongest players and most stable investment, partly because it offers the only realistic path into European competition. The second tier simply doesn’t have the same pull or resources. In a small pyramid, that concentration effect makes the difference look even starker.
5) India – Calcutta Premier Division (tier 3) to Indian Football League (tier 2)
India’s big jump sits right where you’d expect the professional line to be drawn. The top two tiers represent structured, well-supported competitions. Tier 3, however, often leans much more toward regional and developmental football. Training environments, facilities, and overall squad quality drop significantly. The gulf isn’t just about star players, it’s about how complete and organised the teams are.
4) Canada – League 1 BC (tier 2) to Canadian Premier League (tier 1)
Canada’s gap reflects a very clear structural divide. The top tier operates on a fully professional national level, with proper infrastructure and full-time squads. Below that, the pyramid becomes more regional and semi-professional. Geography plays a role too, sustaining strong nationwide depth is expensive. As a result, the top division becomes the clear centre of quality, and the drop beneath it is sharp.
3) Greece – Super League 2 (tier 2) to Greek Super League (tier 1)
Greece’s top division is defined by a handful of clubs with significantly greater resources and squad depth than the rest of the system. That concentration at the top creates a strong divide from the second tier. It’s not just about having a few better players, it’s about intensity, tactical organisation, bench strength and the ability to perform consistently week to week. That combination produces a steep first drop.
2) Latvia – 1. Liga (tier 2) to Latvian Virsliga (tier 1)
Latvia shows how dramatic the Tier 1 to Tier 2 gap can be in smaller nations. The top division is where the strongest domestic players and the most impactful foreign signings gather. European qualification pathways funnel ambition and investment upward. The second tier, by comparison, operates in a far leaner environment. With fewer clubs overall, that imbalance becomes exaggerated.
1) Andorra – 21 Divisió (tier 2) to Andorran First Division (tier 1)
Andorra has the biggest jump of all and it makes sense. In a micro-league system, the top division essentially becomes the entire country’s competitive focus. The best players, the best facilities, and any external investment all sit at the top. The second tier simply doesn’t have the depth to match it. In small ecosystems, there isn’t enough talent to distribute evenly, so the drop becomes dramatic.
The Common Thread
Across almost all of these examples, the same pattern keeps appearing. The biggest jumps tend to happen either at the very top of the pyramid or at the point where football shifts from fully professional to semi-professional. In smaller countries, resources and talent concentrate heavily in the top division, often amplified by access to continental competitions. In larger nations, the biggest cliffs usually appear when you move from structured, well-funded leagues into regional or developmental tiers. Ultimately, the size of the jump isn’t just about player ability, it’s about infrastructure, money, training standards and depth. Once those pillars fall away, the ratings drop fast.
FULL RESEARCH
England
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 5.9
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 5.4
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 8.9
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 8
Tier 6 to tier 7 – difference of 8.1
Tier 7 to tier 8 – difference of 7
Tier 8 to tier 9 – difference of 7.5
France
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.6
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 5.5
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 5.1
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 4.6
Italy
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 10.3
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 7.3
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 5.8
Spain
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 4.9
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 4.5
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 7.3
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 11.0
Germany
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 6.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.7
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 10.6
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 10.8
Belgium
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.0
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.9
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.5
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 6.3
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 7.2
Brazil
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.6
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 11.2
Argentina
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 5.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.2
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.9
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 7.5
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 6.6
Tier 6 to tier 7 – difference of 8.8
Portugal
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 5.5
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.2
Denmark
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.6
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 5.8
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 7.7
Poland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 6.2
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 5.9
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 8.3
Croatia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 13.5
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.8
USA
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.3
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 6.4
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 1.7
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 9.2
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 1.9
Colombia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.8
Turkey
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 7.0
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 8.1
Ecuador
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.7
Norway
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.2
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 9.3
Japan
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.6
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.3
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.2
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 11.0
Netherlands
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.2
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 6.2
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 9.3
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 6.4
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 7.3
Czech Republic
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.4
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.9
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 10.5
Switzerland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.3
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.8
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.6
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 7.3
Greece
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 17.2
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 14.9
Paraguay
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.6
Russia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.6
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.9
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 12.2
Mexico
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 16.0
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 10.0
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 12.1
Cyprus
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 12.7
Uruguay
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 16.6
Hungary
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 11.6
Sweden
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.2
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.4
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.0
Austria
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 9.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.6
Chile
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 5.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 11.3
Saudi Arabia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.0
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.3
Morocco
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.0
Romania
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 13.9
Scotland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.4
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 6.5
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 15.5
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 12.4
Bolivia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.7
Algeria
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.0
South Korea
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.5
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.1
Egypt
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.3
Peru
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 5.3
Israel
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 6.3
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.7
Slovenia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.4
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 10.9
Azerbaijan
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.8
Slovakia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.2
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.6
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 8.2
Ukraine
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.6
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 14.4
Iran
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.7
Bulgaria
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 11.3
South Africa
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.9
Venezuela
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.6
Guatemala
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.1
Albania
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.0
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 14.7
Andorra
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 19.5
Armenia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.0
Australia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.4
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 11.0
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 13.5
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 10.1
Tier 5 to tier 6 – difference of 6.3
Bahrain
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.2
Belarus
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.6
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.9
Cameroon
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.9
Canada
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 16.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 10.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 1.2
China
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 9.6
Costa Rica
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.3
Estonia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 16.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 12.5
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 12.0
Ethiopia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.6
Finland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.1
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 5.4
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 9.6
Georgia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.4
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 10.6
Ghana
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 10.2
Iceland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 7.2
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 10.5
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 7.5
Tier 4 to tier 5 – difference of 7.4
India
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.4
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 16.7
Indonesia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.7
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 5.4
Ireland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 9.9
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 1.4
Northern Ireland
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 11.3
Jordan
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.8
Kazakhstan
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.9
Kenya
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.3
Serbia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.4
Kuwait
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 9.9
Latvia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 17.8
Lithuania
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.5
Luxembourg
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.1
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 9.6
Malaysia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.4
Malta
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 14.8
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 11.7
Tier 3 to tier 4 – difference of 16.5
Moldova
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.9
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 15.6
Montenegro
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.3
Nepal
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.6
North Macedonia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 12.9
Oman
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.2
Panama
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 8.0
Qatar
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 6.4
Thailand
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 7.3
Trinidad & Tobago
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.7
Tunisia
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.4
UAE
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 15.7
Wales
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 13.1
Uzbekistan
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11.5
Vietnam
Tier 1 to tier 2 – difference of 11
Tier 2 to tier 3 – difference of 8.1
Check out our Feature Articles section for more FM26 Updates and Tips.
