Notts County, the world's oldest professional football club, defeated Salford City 3-0 in the 2026 League Two promotion playoff final at Wembley on May 25, 2026, securing a return to League One after 11 years [1, 2, 3]. Goals from Alassana Jatta, Lucas Ness, and Jodi Jones powered Notts County to victory in front of a crowd of 30,851 [2].
The match was played under sweltering conditions, with temperatures around 33.5 to 36 degrees Celsius, challenging players from both sides [3, 2]. About 5,000 Salford supporters attended the final, while the South Stand remained roughly three-quarters empty [2].
Notts County goalkeeper James Belshaw, who joined the club in January 2026, played the final on the day of his daughter's third birthday [3]. The team has employed advanced data analytics and is coached by Martin Paterson, a former assistant coach at Inter Miami, co-owned by Salford owner Sir David Beckham [2].
Notts County had earned promotion from the National League in 2023 and sought to return to the third tier for the first time since 2015 [1, 2]. Salford City, under ownership dominated by Gary Neville and Sir David Beckham, narrowly missed out on automatic promotion by just one point, finishing fourth in League Two. The club aims for its first promotion to League One in history [1, 2].
Manager Karl Robinson reflected on the club’s achievements, saying, "It's the highest point the club has ever been to, currently. We've broken every single record this season, everything - FA Cup ties, beating teams from above us the most amount of times, most amount of home wins, most amount of wins in a league season, most amount of points, highest league finish" [1]. He added, "To play 58 games in a year is unbelievable. We have done so much, and been through so many moments. It is something that we are really proud of" [3].
Notts County’s promotion marks a step up to League One for the 2026-27 season, where they will attempt to build on their recent success and compete at a higher level.
