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.
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. 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. 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. Five Premiership teams will also take part in a new all-island competition during the summer.
Sponsors PeriodSponsor2016–2022Danske Bank2023– Sports Direct
2026 Teams
The following teams make up the 2026 season.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order. TeamLocationStadiumCapacityCliftonvilleBelfast Solitude2,530Crusaders StrikersBelfast Seaview3,383Derry CityDerryBrandywell Stadium6,300GlentoranBelfast Blanchflower Stadium1,100LarneLarneInver Park3,250LinfieldBelfast New Midgley Parkn/aLisburn LadiesLisburnBluebell Stadium1,280Lisburn RangersLisburnCrewe Parkn/a
List of champions Before 2004 the winner of the Division 1 league was national champion. The first season was played out in 1977.
SeasonChampionRunner-up 1977–1998 unknown 1999 Lisburn Distillery Predators 2000 Lisburn Distillery Predators 2001 Lisburn Distillery Predators 2002 Crusaders Strikers 2003 Crusaders Strikers 2004 Glentoran Northland Raiders2005 Crusaders Strikers Glentoran2006 Glentoran Crusaders Strikers 2007 Glentoran Crusaders Strikers 2008 Glentoran Crusaders Strikers 2009 Crusaders Strikers Glentoran2010 Crusaders Strikers Glentoran2011 Glentoran Crusaders Strikers2012 Crusaders Strikers Glentoran2013 Glentoran Crusaders Strikers2014 Glentoran Linfield2015 Newry City Linfield2016 Linfield Cliftonville2017 Linfield Sion Swifts2018 Linfield Glentoran2019 Linfield Sion Swifts2020 Glentoran Linfield2021 Glentoran Cliftonville2022 Cliftonville Glentoran2023 Glentoran Cliftonville2024 Cliftonville Glentoran2025 Glentoran Cliftonville2026 Cliftonville Glentoran
+Northern Irish championshipsTitlesTeam11Glentoran6Crusaders Strikers4Linfield3Lisburn Distillery Predators3Cliftonville1Newry City List only includes known titles (misses 1977–1998).
References
External links Official Site League at leaguewebsite.co.uk - Standings, results, fixtures women.soccerway.com; results, standings & fixtures 2013–15 Website