As the second tier of the Greek football league system, the Beta Ethniki was formally established in the fall of 1962, replacing the informal Greek FCA Winners' Championship, which at the time had tried various experimental formats towards establishing a second national football Division.

In the autumn of 1983, a single, pan-Hellenic League Table was established, a format that has been applied continuously until the 2012–13 season.

In 2006, the Professional Football Association of the Second and Third National Divisions (Greek: ΕΕΠ Β΄ & Γ΄ Εθνικής) was set up, which replaced the Greek Professional Football Clubs Association as the governing authority of the Second and Third National Divisions.

In August 2010, the division's governing body decided to change its own, as well as the competition's distinctive title to Football League.

There were 20 clubs that competed in the Football League until 2021, playing each other in a home and away series.