NIFL Championship 1
 |
|
| Country | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 2008–2013 (as IFA Championship) 2004–2008 (as IFA Intermediate League) 2003–2004 (as Irish League) 1999–2003 (as Irish League Second Division) 1977–1999 (as Irish League B Division Section 1) 1951–1977 (as Irish League B Division) |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | NIFL Premiership |
| Relegation to | NIFL Championship 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Irish Cup IFA Intermediate Cup |
| League cup(s) | Northern Ireland League Cup |
| Current champions | Ards (2015–16) |
| Most championships | Dundela (10½) |
 2015–16 NIFL Championship |
|
NIFL Championship 1 is the second division of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland, and the highest intermediate division in Northern Ireland.
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). The NI Football League is a private company that has 40 member clubs from the Premiership, Championship 1 & 2, who are each shareholders.[4] The Championship is sponsored by the Belfast Telegraph and is marketed as the Belfast Telegraph Championship.[5]
Results from Championship 1 are featured on the Press Association vidiprinter service. However, they are rarely seen by television viewers as the Saturday results often do not appear until after 5.15pm and therefore are not featured during the reading of the classified results. The results from Championship 2 are not carried on the Press Association vidiprinter service.
Contents
2016 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.2017 restructuring. The Championship 2 will have 16 teams along with the newly named NIFL Premier League and NIFL Championship to help boost Northern Ireland Football League get 2 automatic places in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.[6][7]
Current NIFL Championship 1 clubs (2016–17)
See also
- NIFL Premiership
- IFA Interim Intermediate League
- IFA Reserve League
- IFA Intermediate Cup
- George Wilson Cup
- Irish Cup
- Irish League Cup
- County Antrim Shield
- Steel & Sons Cup
- Mid-Ulster Cup
- Bob Radcliffe Cup
- North West Senior Cup
- Craig Memorial Cup
- Northern Ireland football league system
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Ladbrokes.com Championship 2009/10
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ BELFAST TELEGRAPH SPONSOR THE IFA CHAMPIONSHIP
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Northern Ireland Football League (2014). NI Football League Restructure Proposal.
General
- Malcolm Brodie (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook (various editions)
