NCL Premier (Northern Ireland)

NCL Premier
Organising bodyNorthern Amateur Football League
Founded2026
CountryNorthern Ireland Northern Ireland
Number of clubs12
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toNIFL Championship
Relegation toNCL League One (to be created in 2027)
Domestic cupIrish Cup
League cupNational Conference League Cup
Current championsMoyola Park
(2025–26 NIFL Premier Intermediate League)
Current: 2026–27 season

The National Conference League Premier is the third level of the Northern Ireland football league system below the NIFL Premiership (level 1) and NIFL Championship (level 2). It was created in 2026, following abolishment of the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, and is operated by the Northern Amateur Football League.

History

The third level in Northern Irish football was known as the Irish League Second Division from 1999 to 2003, the Irish Second Division from 2003 to 2008, the IFA Interim Intermediate League from 2008 to 2009, the IFA Championship 2 from 2009 to 2013, the NIFL Championship 2 from 2013 to 2016.

Under reforms agreed by the NIFL clubs in 2014, from 2016, when the previous Championship 1 acquired senior status, Championship 2 continued as the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, retaining its intermediate status and thus became the top intermediate league in Northern Ireland.

In May 2023, the league was expanded to 14 teams, due to licensing issues with Warrenpoint Town and PSNI not having a league they can seamlessly be relegated into. Rathfriland Rangers joined the league for the 2023-24 season, along with Coagh United.

In 2026, the NIFL Premier Intermediate League that had been operated by the Northern Ireland Football League, was replaced by the National Conference League (NCL) Premier under operation of the Northern Amateur Football League. Further NCL divisions, League One and League Two, which would become the fourth and the fifth tiers of football in Northern Ireland, are set to be created in 2027.

Current members

Club Stadium Location
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare
Ballymacash RangersThe Bluebell StadiumLisburn
Banbridge TownCrystal ParkBanbridge
Coagh UnitedHagan ParkCoagh
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg
DollingstownPlanters ParkDollingstown
KnockbredaBreda ParkBelfast
Lisburn DistilleryNew Grosvenor StadiumLisburn
Oxford SunnysideKnockramer ParkLurgan
PortstewartMullaghacallPortstewart
Rosario Y.C.Ulidia Playing FieldsBelfast
St James' SwiftsDonegal Celtic ParkBelfast

List of third-tier champions

League / Division Season Champions
Irish League Second Division 1999–00Dundela
2000–01Dundela
2001–02Moyola Park
2002–03Ballinamallard United
Irish Second Division 2003–04Coagh United
2004–05Tobermore United
2005–06Portstewart
2006–07Ballyclare Comrades
2007–08Dergview
IFA Interim Intermediate League 2008–09Harland & Wolff Welders
IFA Championship 2 2009–10Harland & Wolff Welders
2010–11Warrenpoint Town
2011–12Coagh United
2012–13Knockbreda
NIFL Championship 2 2013–14Armagh City
2014–15Lurgan Celtic
2015–16Limavady United
NIFL Premier
Intermediate League		 2016–17Limavady United
2017–18Dundela
2018–19Queen's University
2019–20Annagh United
2021–22Newington
2022–23Bangor
2023–24Limavady United
2024–25Warrenpoint Town
2025–26Moyola Park

References

  1. ↑ "NI Football League - Restructure Proposal". Northern Ireland Football League. nifootballleague.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Northern Ireland Football League (2014). NI Football League Restructure Proposal.
  3. ↑ "NIFL Include Warrenpoint Town and PSNI in expanded third tier". Belfast Telegraph Sport. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "PIL set to be replaced by Conference league in 2026". Belfast Telegraph Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "National Conference League. Divisions". Northern Amateur Football League. Retrieved 26 September 2026.