NIFL Championship

{{short description|Association football league in Northern Ireland}} {{Infobox football league | image = NIFL Championship.png | pixels = 235 | country = {{flagicon|NIR}} Northern Ireland | founded = 1951 (Irish League B Division) 2008 (IFA Championship) | teams = 12 (16 from 2026–27) | promotion = NIFL Premiership | relegation = NIFL Premier Intermediate League | levels = 2 | domest_cup = Irish Cup | league_cup = Northern Ireland Football League Cup | champions = Bangor (1st title) | season = 2024–25 | current = 2025–26 NIFL Championship }}

The '''Northern Ireland Football League Championship''' (known as the '''Playr-Fit 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 NIFL Premiership, and relegated to the third level – the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

In its current format, 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,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/3894/premier-intermediate-league-pil/|title=Premier Intermediate League (PIL)|work=Irish Football Association|publisher=irishfa.com|access-date=7 January 2015|archive-date=8 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108010105/http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/3894/premier-intermediate-league-pil/|url-status=dead}}</ref> though was marketed as the ''IFA Championship''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/4059/ifa-championship/|title=IFA Championship|work=Irish Football Association|publisher=irishfa.com|access-date=7 January 2015|archive-date=8 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108010116/http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/4059/ifa-championship/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009, it was extended to two divisions: Championship 1 and Championship 2 with promotion and relegation between the two.<ref>[http://www.ifachampionship.com/news020709_1.htm Ladbrokes.com Championship 2009/10]</ref> In 2013, the Championship and Premiership became part of the Northern Ireland Football League, independent of the Irish Football Association (IFA).

Under reforms agreed by NIFL clubs in 2014, Championship 1 acquired senior status from the 2016–17 season onwards, continuing as the NIFL Championship. Championship 2 became the ''NIFL Premier Intermediate League'', retaining its intermediate status.<ref>Northern Ireland Football League (2014). ''NI Football League Restructure Proposal.''</ref>

The second level in Northern Irish football was known as the '''B Division''' from 1951 to 1995, the '''Irish League First Division''' from 1995 to 2003, the '''Irish First Division''' from 2003 to 2008, and the '''IFA Championship''' from 2008 to 2013.

==History== The B Division of the Irish League was founded in 1951, and originally consisted of the reserve teams of the senior Irish League clubs alongside some of the top intermediate clubs. It effectively replaced the Irish Intermediate League, which had been the de facto second tier league below the Irish League since 1915. The Irish Intermediate League continued alongside the B Division until 1954 when it ceased to exist and its remaining clubs joined the B Division.

The B Division was split geographically into North and South sections in 1974 (with a play-off to determine the winners in 1974–75 and 1975–76), and then into Section 1 (containing the intermediate clubs) and Section 2 (the reserve teams of senior clubs) in 1977. There was no promotion to the senior Irish League, although clubs could be elected to the senior league; Larne were elected in 1972 to replace Derry City, Carrick Rangers and Newry City were elected in 1983 when the Irish League expanded from 12 to 14 clubs, and Ballyclare Comrades and Omagh Town in 1990 when the league expanded to 16 clubs.

A new second tier was created in 1995 when the Irish League split into a Premier Division and First Division, each with eight clubs and automatic promotion and relegation introduced. In 2003 the Irish Football League was wound up, with the top division becoming the Irish Premier League and the second division becoming the Irish First Division. This continued for five seasons, until the NIFL Championship was created.

NIFL Championship will expand to 16 teams from 2026–27, while four teams from Intermediate League are automatically promoted for 2025–26 season.

==Restructuring== Under reforms agreed by the NIFL clubs in 2014, from 2016, the current Championship 1 will acquire senior status, continuing as the NIFL Championship, while Championship 2 will continue as the '''Premier Intermediate League''', retaining its intermediate status and will thus become the top intermediate league in Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nifootballleague.com/danske-bank-premiership/news/item/ni-football-league-restructure-proposal|title=NI Football League – Restructure Proposal|work=Northern Ireland Football League|publisher=nifootballleague.com|accessdate=7 January 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208061337/http://www.nifootballleague.com/danske-bank-premiership/news/item/ni-football-league-restructure-proposal|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Northern Ireland Football League (2014). ''NI Football League Restructure Proposal.''</ref>

==Current NIFL Championship clubs== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Club !Stadium !Location !Capacity<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/northern-ireland/championship-1/20192020/regular-season/r52817/venues/|title=Championship 2019/2020 – Venues|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref> |- |Annagh United||BMG Arena||Portadown||style="text-align:center;"|1,250 (100 seated) |- |Ards||Bangor Fuels Arena||Bangor||style="text-align:center;"|1,895 (500 seated) |- |Ballinamallard United||Ferney Park||Ballinamallard||style="text-align:center;"|2,000 (250 seated) |- |Dundela||Wilgar Park||Belfast||style="text-align:center;"|1,200 |- |Harland & Wolff Welders||Blanchflower Stadium||Belfast||style="text-align:center;"|1,100 |- |Institute||Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium||Derry||style="text-align:center;"|3,700 |- |Knockbreda||Breda Park||Belfast||style="text-align:center;"|1,000 |- |Newington||Inver Park||Larne||style="text-align:center;"|3,000

|- |}

==List of second-tier champions== {| class=wikitable !Season !Champions |- !colspan=2|Irish League B Division |- |1951–52||Linfield Swifts |- |1952–53||Linfield Swifts |- |1953–54||Cliftonville Olympic |- |1954–55||Larne |- |1955–56||Banbridge Town |- |1956–57||Larne |- |1957–58||Ards II |- |1958–59||Glentoran II |- |1959–60||Newry Town |- |1960–61||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1961–62||Carrick Rangers |- |1962–63||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1963–64||Larne |- |1964–65||Larne |- |1965–66||Larne |- |1966–67||Larne |- |1967–68||Dundela |- |1968–69||Larne |- |1969–70||Larne |- |1970–71||Larne |- |1971–72||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Larne (elected to Irish League) |- |1972–73||Carrick Rangers |- |1973–74||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1974–75||Carrick Rangers (north/south play-off winners) |- |1975–76||Linfield Swifts (north/south play-off winners) |- |1976–77||Carrick Rangers and Dundela (shared) |- !colspan=2|Irish League B Division Section 1 |- |1977–78||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1978–79||Carrick Rangers |- |1979–80||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1980–81||Newry Town |- |1981–82||Dundela |- |1982–83||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Carrick Rangers (elected to Irish League) |- |1983–84||Limavady United |- |1984–85||Chimney Corner |- |1985–86||Dundela |- |1986–87||RUC |- |1987–88||Dundela |- |1988–89||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1989–90||Dundela |- |1990–91||Dundela |- |1991–92||Dundela |- |1992–93||Limavady United |- |1993–94||Dundela |- |1994–95||Loughgall |- !colspan=2|Irish League First Division |- |1995–96||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Coleraine |- |1996–97||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Ballymena United |- |1997–98||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Newry Town |- |1998–99||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Distillery |- |1999–00||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Omagh Town |- |2000–01||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Ards |- |2001–02||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Lisburn Distillery |- |2002–03||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Dungannon Swifts |- !colspan=2|Irish First Division |- |2003–04||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Loughgall |- |2004–05||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Armagh City |- |2005–06||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Crusaders |- |2006–07||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Institute |- |2007–08||Loughgall (not promoted) |- !colspan=2|IFA Championship |- |2008–09||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Portadown |- |2009–10||Loughgall (not promoted) |- |2010–11||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Carrick Rangers |- |2011–12||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Ballinamallard United |- |2012–13||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Ards |- !colspan=2|NIFL Championship |- |2013–14||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Institute |- |2014–15||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Carrick Rangers |- |2015–16||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Ards |- |2016–17||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Warrenpoint Town |- |2017–18||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Institute |- |2018–19||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Larne |- |2019–20||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Portadown |- |2021–22||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Newry City |- |2022–23||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Loughgall |- |2023–24||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Portadown |- |2024–25||bgcolor=#BBF3BB|Bangor |- |2025–26|| |}

==Knock-out competitions== In 1982, a knockout competition was introduced, known as the '''B Division Knockout Cup'''. It was discontinued after 2002, but a new '''Intermediate League Cup''' was played between 2004 and 2008. In 2008–09, there was no knockout competition for Championship clubs, who participated with Premiership clubs in the Irish League Cup. In the 2009–10 season only, while Championship 1 clubs continued to participate in the Irish League Cup, a '''Championship 2 League Cup''' was inaugurated for those in Championship 2. From 2010–11 onwards, all Championship clubs from divisions 1 and 2 also competed in the Irish League Cup, and the Championship 2 League Cup was abolished.

{| class=wikitable !Season !Champions |- !colspan=2|B Division Knockout Cup |- |1982–83 ||RUC |- |1983–84 ||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1984–85 ||RUC |- |1985–86 ||RUC |- |1986–87 ||Chimney Corner |- |1987–88 ||Dundela |- |1988–89 ||Ballyclare Comrades |- |1989–90 ||Omagh Town |- |1990–91 ||Dundela |- |1991–92 ||Dundela |- |1992–93 ||Limavady United |- |1993–94 ||Dungannon Swifts |- |1994–95 ||Dundela |- |1995–96 ||Limavady United |- |1996–97 ||Institute |- |1997–98 ||Harland & Wolff Welders |- |1998–99 ||Ballymoney United |- |1999–00 ||Moyola Park |- |2000–01 ||Harland & Wolff Welders |- |2001–02 ||Harland & Wolff Welders |- !colspan=2|Intermediate League Cup |- |2004–05 ||Bangor |- |2005–06 ||Crusaders |- |2006–07 ||Institute |- |2007–08 ||Loughgall |- !colspan=2|Championship 2 League Cup |- |2009–10 ||Harland & Wolff Welders |}

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *Malcolm Brodie (ed.), ''Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook'' (various editions)

Category:NIFL Championship 2 Northern Ireland Category:Sports leagues established in 2008 Category:2008 establishments in Northern Ireland 2