NIFL Championship

The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Lough 41 Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Irish League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championship can be promoted to the highest national division - the NIFL Premiership, and relegated to the third level - the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

NIFL Championship
Founded2008 (as IFA Championship)
CountryNorthern Ireland
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toNIFL Premiership
Relegation toNIFL Premier Intermediate League
Domestic cup(s)Irish Cup
League cup(s)Northern Ireland Football League Cup
Current championsLoughgall (1st title)
(2022-23)
Current: 2022-23 Season

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,[1] though was marketed as the IFA Championship.[2] In 2009, it was extended to two divisions: Championship 1 and Championship 2 with promotion and relegation between the two.[3] 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 the Irish League 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.[4]

Current NIFL Championship clubs
Club Stadium Location Capacity[5]
Annagh UnitedBMG ArenaPortadown1,250 (100 seated)
ArdsBangor Fuels ArenaBangor1,895 (500 seated)
Ballinamallard UnitedFerney ParkBallinamallard2,000 (250 seated)
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare2,400
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200
DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast1,200
Harland & Wolff WeldersBlanchflower StadiumBelfast1,100
InstituteRyan McBride Brandywell StadiumDerry8,200
KnockbredaBreda ParkBelfast1,000
LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall1,500
NewingtonSolitudeBelfast3,000
Warrenpoint TownMilltownWarrenpoint1,450

See also

References
  1. "Premier Intermediate League (PIL)". Irish Football Association. irishfa.com. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  2. "IFA Championship". Irish Football Association. irishfa.com. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  3. Ladbrokes.com Championship 2009/10
  4. Northern Ireland Football League (2014). NI Football League Restructure Proposal.
  5. "Championship 2019/2020 - Venues". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  • Malcolm Brodie (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook (various editions)
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