NIFL Championship

The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Bluefin Sport Championship for sponsorship reasons) 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 Irish 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 championsPortadown (2019–20)
Current: 2020–21 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 IFA Premiership were replaced by a single Northern Ireland Football League, independent of the Irish Football Association (IFA).

Under reforms agreed by the Irish League clubs in 2014, from 2016–17, Championship 1 acquired senior status, continuing as the Irish League Championship, while Championship 2 continued as the Premier Intermediate League, retaining its intermediate status.[4]

Current NIFL Championship clubs (2019–20)
Club Stadium Location Capacity[5]
ArdsBangor Fuels ArenaBangor1,895 (500 seated)
Ballinamallard UnitedFerney ParkBallinamallard2,000 (250 seated)
Ballyclare ComradesDixon ParkBallyclare5,333
DergviewDarragh ParkCastlederg1,200
DundelaWilgar ParkBelfast2,500
Harland & Wolff WeldersTillysburn ParkBelfast3,000
KnockbredaBreda ParkBelfast1,000
LoughgallLakeview ParkLoughgall3,000
Newry CityThe ShowgroundsNewry2,275 (1,080 seated)
PortadownShamrock ParkPortadown3,940 (2,765 seated)
PSNINewforge LaneBelfast1,500
Queen's UniversityUpper MaloneBelfast1,000 (330 seated)

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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