Sports Direct Premiership
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2024-2025
Location
Northern Ireland
Abbreviation
NIR1

Summary

The NIFL Premiership (NIR1), or Sports Direct Premiership, is the top division in Northern Ireland's football system. At the end of the 2024-2025 NIR1 season, the NIR1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:

  • 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 1st place 2024-2025 NIR1 Championhsip Group team
  • 2025-2026 UEFA Europa Conference League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 2nd place 2024-2025 NIR1 team
    • 2024-2025 NIR1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs winner

The winner of the 2024-2025 Irish Football Association Challenge Cup (Irish Cup), typically a NIR1 team, also receives a berth in the 1st Qualifying Round of the 2025-2026 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leagues Pyramid - Northern Ireland

Abbrev League # of Teams
NIR1 Sports Direct Premiership 12
NIR2 NIFL Championship 12
NIR3 NIFL Premier Intermediate League 14

Competition Structure

Season

# of Teams

Regular
9 Aug 2024 - 22 Mar 2025		Champ/Releg Rounds
1 Apr 2025 - 29 May 2025		UEFAECL Playoffs
1 Jun 2025 - 15 Jun 2025		12: NIR1 (10 minimum), NIR2 (2 maximum)

Season Format

The 2024-2025 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 2024-2025 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 2025-2026 UEFA Europa Conference League - 1st Qualifying Round.

Relegation

At the end of the 2024-2025 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 2025-2026 NIR1, and the playoff loser plays in the 2025-2026 NIR2.


More Info...


UEFAECL Playoffs - Finals

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sun - 11 May 2025
 Coleraine FC 00 CliftonvilleThe Showgrounds (Sligo)

UEFAECL Playoffs - Semifinals

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Wed - 7 May 2025
 Glentoran FC 02 CliftonvilleBetMcLean Oval
 Coleraine FC 10 Crusaders FCBetMcLean Oval

Relegation Playoffs

DateHome Status RoadVenue
AggregateAnnagh United FC (NIR2) 38 Carrick Rangers FC (NIR1) 
02.05.25Carrick Rangers FC 31 Annagh United FCLoughview Leisure Arena
 Carrick Rangers FC remain in NIR1 

2nd Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
Championship
1Linfield FC 3827 -4-785-6928412016 -0-4483715221811 -4-337321319
2Larne FC 3817 -12-963-463313186 -7-525171522011 -5-438291811
3Glentoran FC 3817 -10-1161-493712177 -6-427161332110 -4-73433249
4Dungannon Swifts FC 3817 -6-1557-514832010 -3-73327252187 -3-82424231
5Coleraine FC 3815 -10-1355-55505199 -4-63130255196 -6-72425250
6Crusaders FC 3816 -6-1654-4753-6208 -4-8283036-6188 -2-82617170
Relegation
1Cliftonville 3817 -7-1458-5841171811 -3-436301119206 -4-10222830-2
2Portadown FC 3816 -8-1456-484532011 -5-43828199185 -3-10182026-6
3Ballymena United FC 3814 -5-1947-4754-7187 -3-82425241207 -2-11232230-8
4Glenavon FC 3812 -10-1646-4247-5196 -5-8232224-2196 -5-8232023-3
5Carrick Rangers FC 387 -11-2032-3259-27206 -5-9232024-4181 -6-1191235-23
6Loughgall FC 385 -7-2622-3685-49193 -3-13122245-23192 -4-13101440-26
2025-2026 UEFACL
UEFAECL Playoffs
2025-2026 UEFAECL
Relegation Playoffs
Relegation to NIR2

1st Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Linfield FC 3324 -4-576-6123381713 -0-4393013171611 -4-137311021
2Larne FC 3315 -9-954-392811165 -6-521151411710 -3-433241410
3Glentoran FC 3315 -9-954-40319166 -6-42414122179 -3-53026197
4Dungannon Swifts FC 3315 -5-1350-44404178 -2-72622220167 -3-62422184
5Crusaders FC 3315 -5-1350-4143-2177 -3-7242530-5168 -2-62616133
6Coleraine FC 3313 -10-1049-49418167 -4-52525214176 -6-52424204
7Cliftonville 3313 -7-1346-44377169 -3-430231112174 -4-9162126-5
8Portadown FC 3313 -7-1346-39381168 -4-42820164175 -3-9181922-3
9Ballymena United FC 3313 -4-1643-4042-2166 -2-8201921-2177 -2-82321210
10Glenavon FC 3310 -9-1439-3543-8175 -5-7202023-3165 -4-7191520-5
11Carrick Rangers FC 336 -9-1827-2448-24175 -5-7201516-1161 -4-117932-23
12Loughgall FC 334 -6-2318-2971-42173 -2-12111939-20161 -4-1171032-22
Championship Group
Relegation Group

Results

Sat - 26 Apr 2025
 Loughgall FC 14 CliftonvilleLakeview Park (Loughgall)
 Larne FC 00 Glentoran FCInver Park
 Coleraine FC 10 Linfield FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
Sat - 19 Apr 2025
 Portadown FC 20 CliftonvilleShamrock Park
 Loughgall FC 22 Carrick Rangers FCLakeview Park (Loughgall)
 Crusaders FC 30 Coleraine FCSeaview (Belfast)
Fri - 18 Apr 2025
 Larne FC 21 Linfield FCInver Park
Sat - 12 Apr 2025
 Cliftonville 20 Glenavon FCSolitude (Belfast)
 Portadown FC 31 Loughgall FCShamrock Park
 Ballymena United FC 11 Carrick Rangers FCThe Showgrounds (Ballymena)
 Linfield FC 20 Dungannon Swifts FCWindsor Park (Belfast)
 Crusaders FC 04 Glentoran FCSeaview (Belfast)
 Coleraine FC 12 Larne FCThe Showgrounds (Sligo)
Sat - 5 Apr 2025
 Glenavon FC 01 Loughgall FCMourneview Park
 Cliftonville 50 Ballymena United FCSolitude (Belfast)