NIFL Premiership
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2023-2024
Location
Northern Ireland
Abbreviation
NIR1

Summary

The NIFL Premiership (NIR1), or Dankse Bank Premiership, is the top division in Northern Ireland's football system. At the end of the 2023-2024 NIR1 season, the NIR1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:

  • 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 1st place 2023-2024 NIR1 Championhsip Group team
  • 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 2nd place 2023-2024 NIR1 team
    • 2023-2024 NIR1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs winner

The winner of the 2023-2024 Irish Football Association Challenge Cup (Irish Cup), typically a NIR1 team, also receives a berth in the 1st Qualifying Round of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leagues Pyramid - Northern Ireland

Abbrev League # of Teams
NIR1 Dankse Bank Premiership 12
NIR2 NIFL Championship 12
NIR3 NIFL Premier Intermediate League 14

Competition Structure

Season

# of Teams

Regular
4 Aug 2022 - 23 Mar 2024		Champ/Releg Rounds
1 Apr 2024 - 29 Apr 2024		UEFAECL Playoffs
2 May 2024 - 15 Jun 2024		12: NIR1 (10 minimum), NIR2 (2 maximum)

Season Format

The 2023-2024 NIR1 season consists of 2 stages. In the first stage, each NIR1 team plays the other 11 NIR1 teams 3 times for a total of 33 league matches. In each 3 match series one team hosts 2 home matches and the other team hosts 1 home match. In the second stage, the top six teams (Championship Group) play each other a 4th time (5 more matches) to determine final rankings for UEFA Champions League and Europa League placements, and the bottom six teams (Relegation Group) play each other a 4th time (5 more matches) to determine the relegation placements. Total points are for all 38 matches. Table ranking ties are broken by (1) goal difference, (2) goals scored, (3) head-to-head points, (4) head-to-head goal difference, then (5) a drawing.

Playoffs

At the end of the 2023-2024 NIR1 season, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place NIR1 Championship Group teams and the 1st place NIR1 Relegation Group team enter into the UEFAECL playoffs (knockout format). The winner of this playoff receives a berth in the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League - 1st Qualifying Round.

Relegation

At the end of the 2023-2024 NIR1 season, the 6th place NIR1 Relegation Group team will be relegated to the NIR2, and the 5th place NIR1 Relegation Group team enters into a Home-Away highest aggregate score playoff with the 2nd place NIR2 team. The playoff winner and the 1st place NIR2 team play in the 2024-2025 NIR1, and the playoff loser plays in the 2024-2025 NIR2.


More Info...


1st Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Linfield FC 1613 -1-240-40162486 -1-11925101587 -0-1211569
2Larne FC 1711 -5-138-35122397 -2-0232471784 -3-1151156
3Cliftonville 1711 -2-435-3692785 -2-1172031796 -0-31816610
4Crusaders FC 169 -4-331-35152084 -2-214167985 -2-11719811
5Glentoran FC 178 -4-528-31171494 -2-31421101184 -2-2141073
6Coleraine FC 177 -3-724-2228-683 -2-3111112-194 -1-4131116-5
7Loughgall FC 176 -3-821-2733-693 -1-5101616083 -2-3111117-6
8Glenavon FC 176 -1-1019-1832-1484 -0-412710-392 -1-671122-11
9Carrick Rangers FC 176 -1-1019-2344-2183 -0-59813-593 -1-5101531-16
10Dungannon Swifts FC 172 -6-912-2334-1192 -2-581517-280 -4-44817-9
11Ballymena United FC 173 -1-1310-1132-2191 -1-74615-982 -0-66517-12
12Newry City AFC 173 -1-1310-1645-2980 -1-71523-1893 -0-691122-11
Championship Group
Relegation Group

Fixtures

Fri - 15 Dec 2023
 Ballymena United FC   Carrick Rangers FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Crusaders FC   Larne FCSeaview (Belfast)
Sat - 16 Dec 2023
 Coleraine FC   Dungannon Swifts FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Glenavon FC   Linfield FCMourneview Park
 Glentoran FC   Newry City AFCBetMcLean Oval
 Loughgall FC   CliftonvilleLakeview Park (Loughgall)
Fri - 22 Dec 2023
 Newry City AFC   Carrick Rangers FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Larne FC   Loughgall FCInver Park
Sat - 23 Dec 2023
 Cliftonville   Ballymena United FCSolitude (Belfast)
 Glenavon FC   Crusaders FCMourneview Park
 Linfield FC   Coleraine FCWindsor Park (Belfast)
Tue - 26 Dec 2023
 Ballymena United FC   Coleraine FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Carrick Rangers FC   Larne FCLoughview Leisure Arena
 Cliftonville   Crusaders FCSolitude (Belfast)
 Linfield FC   Glentoran FCWindsor Park (Belfast)
 Newry City AFC   Glenavon FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Loughgall FC   Dungannon Swifts FCLakeview Park (Loughgall)
Sat - 30 Dec 2023
 Crusaders FC   Carrick Rangers FCSeaview (Belfast)

Results

Sun - 19 Nov 2023
 Carrick Rangers FC 03 CliftonvilleLoughview Leisure Arena
Sat - 18 Nov 2023
 Glenavon FC 20 Loughgall FCMourneview Park
 Crusaders FC PSPD Linfield FCSeaview (Belfast)
Fri - 17 Nov 2023
 Larne FC 20 Coleraine FCInver Park
Mon - 13 Nov 2023
 Coleraine FC 00 Glentoran FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
Sat - 11 Nov 2023
 Linfield FC 12 Larne FCWindsor Park (Belfast)
 Loughgall FC 12 Crusaders FCLakeview Park (Loughgall)
 Cliftonville 10 Newry City AFCSolitude (Belfast)
 Ballymena United FC 01 Glenavon FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
Sat - 4 Nov 2023
 Loughgall FC 52 Ballymena United FCLakeview Park (Loughgall)
 Newry City AFC 03 Linfield FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Crusaders FC 02 Coleraine FCSeaview (Belfast)
Fri - 3 Nov 2023
 Larne FC 21 CliftonvilleInver Park
Sat - 28 Oct 2023
 Newry City AFC 12 Larne FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
 Linfield FC 51 Loughgall FCWindsor Park (Belfast)