Women's Premiership (Northern Ireland)

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Women's Premiership
200px
Country  Northern Ireland
Confederation UEFA
Founded 2004
Divisions 1
Number of teams 10
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Women's Championship
Domestic cup(s) IFA Women's Challenge Cup
International cup(s) UEFA Women's Champions League
Current champions Cliftonville (1st title)
(2022 Women's Premiership)
Most championships Glentoran Women (9 titles)
Website nifootballleague.com/womens-premiership
2023 Women's Premiership

The Women's Premiership is the top level women's football league of Northern Ireland. The league was called the NIWFA Division League 1 until 2003 and Premier League until 2015. In 2016, it was rebranded the Women's Premiership and is run by the NI Football League since.[1]

Ten teams play a double round robin to crown the champion, which qualifies for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League. The tenth place gets relegated to the Women's Championship 1, the ninth place plays a two-legged relegation playoff against the runner up of the Women's Championship.

History

In women's football the first league season was played out in 1977.[2] Organised by the Northern Ireland Women's Football Association (NIWFA) the league was simply called the NIWFA Division League 1.

In 2004 the Division 1 was replaced by the Women's Premier League.

In 2016, after 40 years of administering and developing women's football locally, the league was rebranded the Women's Premiership and is run now by the Northern Ireland Football League.[3] The main sponsor and name giver is Sports Direct.

Prior to the 2023 season, the Premiership introduced professional contracts for players, as well as games on Fridays and Sundays in addition to traditional Wednesday games.[4] Five Premiership teams will also take in a new all-island competition during the summer.[5]

Sponsors

Period Sponsor
2016–2022 Danske Bank[6]
2023– Sports Direct[7]

2023 Teams

The following teams make up the 2023 season.

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Ballymena United Ballymena Ballymena Showgrounds 3,600
Cliftonville Belfast (Oldpark) Solitude 2,530
Crusaders Strikers Belfast (Newtownabbey) Seaview 3,383
Derry City Derry Brandywell Stadium 3,700
Glentoran Belfast (Sydenham) The Oval 26,556
Larne Larne Inver Park 3,250
Linfield Belfast (Boucher Road) Midgley Park n/k
Lisburn Ladies Lisburn Bluebell Stadium 1,280
Mid-Ulster Ladies Cookstown Mid-Ulster Sports Arena n/k
Sion Swifts Strabane Melvin Sports Complex n/k

List of champions

Before 2004 the winner of the Division 1 league was national champion. The first season was played out in 1977.[8][9]

References

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External links

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