THE Football Association (FA) have granted the National League an extension to the 2019/20 season.

The extension will allow the National League to hold play-off matches in its three divisions beyond the original deadline that was set for the end of May.

FA Council members had been asked to vote on the National League's proposal following a meeting by the former last week, with the FA now coming to a verdict to extend the current season.

The FA's decision does not guarantee that play-off matches will happen.

However, it does mean that the option remains on the table as the league looks to decide the sporting outcomes for the current campaign.

Clubs have not yet been offered a vote by the National League on how they would like to resolve the season, whether by a points-per-game system, play-off matches or declaring the season null and void.

The news may come as a boost to promotion-chasing York City who, at the point in which the regular season was ended, sat at the top of the Vanarama National League North table, two points in front of second-placed King's Lynn Town, who had played two games less than the Minstermen.

Last month, the National League to end its regular season of matches after deciding that it would not be able to complete the programme of games still left to play due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However the National League's decision remains predicated on the situation in the English Football League (EFL) and, in particular, League Two, who expressed a desire to end the season with promotion but not relegation.

Earlier this month though, the EFL recommended that promotion and relegation take place throughout its three divisions, with its 71 clubs still to be asked to vote on this is achieved.