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Women's Premiership (Northern Ireland)

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Women's Premiership
Founded2004
Country Northern Ireland
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions1
Number of teams9
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toWomen's Championship
Domestic cup(s)Irish Women's Cup
League cup(s)NIFL Women's Premiership League Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Women's Champions League
Current championsCliftonville Ladies (2nd title)
(2024 Women's Premiership)
Most championshipsGlentoran (10 titles)
TV partnersDAZN
Websitenifootballleague.com/womens-premiership
Current: 2024 Women's Premiership

The Women's Premiership is the top level women's football league of Northern Irish league football. 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 NIFL/ Irish 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

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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 part in a new all-island competition during the summer.[5]

Sponsors

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

2024 Teams

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The following teams make up the 2024 season.

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Location of teams in the 2024 season

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Cliftonville Belfast (Oldpark) Solitude 2,530
Crusaders Strikers Belfast (Shore Road) Seaview 3,383
Derry City Derry Brandywell Stadium 3,700
Glentoran Belfast (Sydenham) Blanchflower Stadium 1,100
Larne Larne Inver Park 3,250
Linfield Belfast (Boucher Road) New Midgley Park n/a
Lisburn Ladies Lisburn Bluebell Stadium 1,280
Lisburn Rangers Lisburn Crewe Park n/a
Mid-Ulster Ladies Dungannon Stangmore Park 2,000

List of champions

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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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  1. ^ "2016 DANSKE BANK WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP LAUNCHED". Archived from the original on 21 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Northern Ireland Women's Football Association - NIWFA".
  3. ^ "NIFL announce start of Northern Ireland Women's Premiership". 5 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Women's Premiership: How each team is shaping up for the new season". Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Five Women's Premiership teams to take part in new all-island competition". Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Northern Ireland Football League confirm Danske Bank partnership to end after 11 years". News Letter. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Sports Direct NI Women's Prem 'Means more than Ever' - but Reds and Glens still to the fore". The Irish News. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  8. ^ "History". Northern Ireland Women's Football Association. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Northern Ireland - List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  10. ^ a b c "FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS!". irishfa.com. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2014. ... and in 1999, 2000, and 2001 Lisburn Distillery Predators won the NIWFA Premier League
  11. ^ "Glentoran take title". shekicks.net. 29 July 2011. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Pitchero League Websites - Manage your league and create an awesome website".
  13. ^ "Champions - Again | Glentoran FC".
  14. ^ "Zusammenfassung - Premiership Frauen - Nordirland - Ergebnisse, Spielpläne, Tabellen und News - Women Soccerway".
  15. ^ "Linfield Ladies' News: McGuinness blasts Linfield to League Title Glory".
  16. ^ "Linfield Ladies retain Danske Bank Women's Premiership". goqradio.com. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  17. ^ "#DanskeWomensPrem : Linfield take title after dramatic fightback". shekicks.net. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Linfield hit 10 in Derry to retain title". BBC Sport.
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