The 1996 season of the Conference League, the third tier of British speedway, was the first to promoted under that name, and was an entirely amateur competition contested by thirteen teams. The league expanded from the eight that had begun the previous season's British Academy League - Berwick, Buxton, Devon, Linlithgow, Mildenhall, and Sittingbourne all returned from 1995, and were joined by Arena Essex, Eastbourne, Owlerton, Peterborough, Reading, Ryde, and Swindon. Stoke and Cleveland did not return from 1995.