Premiership Women (Northern Ireland) 2026/27

The NIFL Women's Premiership serves as the pinnacle of domestic women’s football in Northern Ireland. It operates on a spring/summer schedule running from May to October, distinguishing itself from the men's top flight which follows an autumn/spring calendar. The competition format centres on a double round-robin regular season before splitting into two sections. The top four and bottom four clubs contest separate tracks to determine final standings and European qualification spots. There are no playoffs for the title; the league leader is crowned champion outright. The structure dictates that the bottom-placed team faces automatic relegation to the NIFL Women's Championship. Conversely, the second-bottom team enters a playoff against the Championship winner to avoid dropping down a division.

Glentoran stands as the most successful club, having secured the title eleven times. Their dominance includes the most recent 2025 championship. Cliftonville has also claimed success, winning two titles in 2022 and 2024. The league currently features eight participating clubs, including Cliftonville, Crusaders, Derry City, Glentoran, Larne, Linfield, Lisburn Ladies, and Lisburn Rangers. Significant reforms have shaped the modern era, notably the introduction of professional player contracts in 2023 and a substantial increase in prize money. Commercial growth was further evidenced by a dedicated broadcasting deal with DAZN secured in 2024. The competition traces its lineage back to 2004 when it replaced the NIWFA Division League 1. It underwent a rebranding as the Women's Premiership in 2016 after the Northern Ireland Football League took over administration from the Northern Ireland Women's Football Association.