NIFL Championship
 | |
| Founded | 1951 (Irish League B Division) 2008 (IFA Championship) |
|---|---|
| Country |  Northern Ireland |
| Number of clubs | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | NIFL Premiership |
| Relegation to | NCL Premier |
| Domestic cup | Irish Cup |
| League cup | Northern Ireland Football League Cup |
| Current champions | Limavady United (3rd title) (2025–26) |
| Current: 2026–27 NIFL Championship | |
The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Boyle Sports NIFL Championship for sponsorship reasons[1]) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championship can be promoted to the highest national division – the NIFL Premiership. The third semi professional level – the NIFL Premier Intermediate League - was scrapped at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season and replaced by the new NAFL Conference League, launching in 2026.[2]
In its current format, it was founded in 2008 as the Premier Intermediate League for members of the previous IFA Intermediate League that met the new stricter membership criteria,[3] though was marketed as the IFA Championship.[4] In 2009, it was extended to two divisions: Championship 1 and Championship 2 with promotion and relegation between the two.[5] In 2013, the Championship and Premiership became part of the Northern Ireland Football League, independent of the Irish Football Association (IFA).
Under reforms agreed by NIFL clubs in 2014, Championship 1 acquired senior status from the 2016–17 season onwards, continuing as the NIFL Championship. Championship 2 became the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, retaining its intermediate status.[6]
The second level in Northern Irish football was known as the B Division from 1951 to 1995, the Irish League First Division from 1995 to 2003, the Irish First Division from 2003 to 2008, and the IFA Championship from 2008 to 2013.
History
[edit]The B Division of the Irish League was founded in 1951, and originally consisted of the reserve teams of the senior Irish League clubs alongside some of the top intermediate clubs. It effectively replaced the Irish Intermediate League, which had been the de facto second tier league below the Irish League since 1915. The Irish Intermediate League continued alongside the B Division until 1954 when it ceased to exist and its remaining clubs joined the B Division.
The B Division was split geographically into North and South sections in 1974 (with a play-off to determine the winners in 1974–75 and 1975–76), and then into Section 1 (containing the intermediate clubs) and Section 2 (the reserve teams of senior clubs) in 1977. There was no promotion to the senior Irish League, although clubs could be elected to the senior league; Larne were elected in 1972 to replace Derry City, Carrick Rangers and Newry City were elected in 1983 when the Irish League expanded from 12 to 14 clubs, and Ballyclare Comrades and Omagh Town in 1990 when the league expanded to 16 clubs.
A new second tier was created in 1995 when the Irish League split into a Premier Division and First Division, each with eight clubs and automatic promotion and relegation introduced. In 2003 the Irish Football League was wound up, with the top division becoming the Irish Premier League and the second division becoming the Irish First Division. This continued for five seasons, until the NIFL Championship was created.
NIFL Championship will expand to 16 teams from 2026–27, with four teams from the final season of the Intermediate League automatically promoted.[7] The first sixteen team season will initially see a double round-robin of 30 games, followed by a further seven games following a mid table split.
Current clubs
[edit]| Club | Stadium | Location | Capacity[8] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annagh United | BMG Arena | Portadown | 1,250 (100 seated) |
| Ards | Clandeboye Park | Bangor | 2,000 (500 seated) |
| Armagh City | Holm Park | Armagh | 2,000 (500 seated) |
| Ballinamallard United | Ferney Park | Ballinamallard | 2,000 (250 seated) |
| Dundela | Wilgar Park | Belfast | 2,500 |
| Glenavon | Mourneview Park | Lurgan | 3,302 (all seated) |
| Harland & Wolff Welders | Blanchflower Stadium | Belfast | 2,000 |
| Institute | Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium | Derry | 3,700 |
| Loughgall | Lakeview Park | Loughgall | 1,300 (800 seated) |
| Moyola Park | Mill Meadow | Castledawson | 2,000 |
| Newington | Solitude | Belfast | 3,054 |
| Newry City | Newry Showgrounds | Newry | 2,809 (831 seated) |
| Queen's University | Blanchflower Stadium | Belfast | 2,000 |
| Rathfriland Rangers | Iveagh Park | Rathfriland | 1,000 |
| Strabane Athletic | Limavady Showgrounds | Limavady | 1,500 (274 seated) |
| Warrenpoint Town | Milltown | Warrenpoint | 1,450 |
List of second-tier champions
[edit]Knock-out competitions
[edit]In 1982, a knockout competition was introduced, known as the B Division Knockout Cup. It was discontinued after 2002, but a new Intermediate League Cup was played between 2004 and 2008. In 2008–09, there was no knockout competition for Championship clubs, who participated with Premiership clubs in the Irish League Cup. In the 2009–10 season only, while Championship 1 clubs continued to participate in the Irish League Cup, a Championship 2 League Cup was inaugurated for those in Championship 2. From 2010–11 onwards, all Championship clubs from divisions 1 and 2 also competed in the Irish League Cup, and the Championship 2 League Cup was abolished.
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| B Division Knockout Cup | |
| 1982–83 | RUC |
| 1983–84 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| 1984–85 | RUC |
| 1985–86 | RUC |
| 1986–87 | Chimney Corner |
| 1987–88 | Dundela |
| 1988–89 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| 1989–90 | Omagh Town |
| 1990–91 | Dundela |
| 1991–92 | Dundela |
| 1992–93 | Limavady United |
| 1993–94 | Dungannon Swifts |
| 1994–95 | Dundela |
| 1995–96 | Limavady United |
| 1996–97 | Institute |
| 1997–98 | Harland & Wolff Welders |
| 1998–99 | Ballymoney United |
| 1999–00 | Moyola Park |
| 2000–01 | Harland & Wolff Welders |
| 2001–02 | Harland & Wolff Welders |
| Intermediate League Cup | |
| 2004–05 | Bangor |
| 2005–06 | Crusaders |
| 2006–07 | Institute |
| 2007–08 | Loughgall |
| Championship 2 League Cup | |
| 2009–10 | Harland & Wolff Welders |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Boyle sports revealed as New Title Partner, from NIFootballLeague.com
- ↑ "PIL set to be replaced by Conference league in 2026". Belfast Telegraph Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ↑ "Premier Intermediate League (PIL)". Irish Football Association. irishfa.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "IFA Championship". Irish Football Association. irishfa.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Home | NI Football League".
- ↑ Northern Ireland Football League (2014). NI Football League Restructure Proposal.
- ↑ "CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT CONFIRMED FOR 2026/27 SEASON".
- ↑ "NIFL Championship Venues 2021-2022". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
External links
[edit]- Malcolm Brodie (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook (various editions)
| National teams |
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| Leagues |
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| Domestic cups |
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| Defunct leagues | |||||
| Defunct cups | |||||
| Awards | |||||
- NIFL Championship
- Men's association football leagues in Northern Ireland
- Association football club competitions in Northern Ireland
- Men's second-level domestic association football leagues in Europe
- Sports leagues established in 2008
- 2008 establishments in Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Football League competitions