TheNorthern Ireland football league system is categorised into three levels:senior,intermediate andjunior. Clubs attain intermediate status by fulfilling certain criteria (e.g. owning or leasing its own enclosed ground). Senior status requires clubs to reach stricter criteria. National leagues exist at senior and intermediate level. All junior leagues and some intermediate are organised on a regional basis.

Regionally, there are four regional football associations: theNorth East Ulster Football Association (also known as theCounty Antrim & District Football Association), the Mid-Ulster Football Association, the North West of Ireland Football Association and theFermanagh & Western Football Association.

TheNorthern Ireland Football League, which is the national league of Northern Ireland, has two senior divisions, theNIFL Premiership and theNIFL Championship, which consists of twenty-four semi-professional clubs. Members of the Premiership must possess a domestic licence in order to retain membership and members of the Championship must possess a championship licence. Clubs that wish to be promoted to the Championship from intermediate football must attain a Championship Licence.^{[citation needed]}

At national level there are two senior cup competitions: theIrish Cup and theNorthern Ireland Football League Cup, although intermediate teams are entitled to enter both.

At regional level, three of the four regional FAs organise their own senior cup competition. TheNorth East Ulster Football Association runs theCounty Antrim Shield; the Mid-Ulster Football Association organises theMid-Ulster Cup and the North West of Ireland Football Association organises theNorth West Senior Cup.

The national league has one intermediate division: theNIFL Premier Intermediate League. In order to participate in the Intermediate League, clubs must meet certain criteria, including the standard of the club's ground.^[1] Two clubs are automatically promoted from the Premier Intermediate League to the Championship at the end of each season, and two clubs are relegated to the Premier Intermediate League from the Championship. In the event, however, that either of the Premier Intermediate League teams does not possess a Championship Licence, they are not promoted.

TheNIFL Premiership Development League, which is also an intermediate league, comprises the reserve teams of the twelve seniorNIFL Premiership clubs.

In 2010-11, a "pyramid" system was introduced, with the possibility of promotion and relegation between the national league and the four regional intermediate leagues, namely:

• Ballymena & Provincial Football League
• Mid-Ulster Football League
• Northern Amateur Football League
• Northern Ireland Intermediate League (ended in 2023)

Clubs in these leagues may only gain promotion to the Premier Intermediate League if they win their respective league championship and meet the necessary criteria. If more than one league champion meets the criteria, then only one will be promoted, to be decided by a play-off or series of play-offs.

At national level there is one intermediate cup competition: theIntermediate Cup. At regional level, three of the four regional FAs organise their own cup competitions. TheNorth East Ulster Football Association runs theSteel & Sons Cup; the Mid-Ulster Football Association organises theBob Radcliffe Cup; and the North West of Ireland Football Association organises theCraig Memorial Cup. TheFermanagh & Western Football Association organised theFermanagh & Western Intermediate Cup for three seasons, but it is now defunct.

In 2023 theNorthern Ireland Intermediate League announced that it would cease to exist due to a number of clubs deciding to join other regional leagues within the league system, thus leaving three regional leagues below the Premier Intermediate League.^[2]

There are numerous junior leagues in Northern Ireland, including junior divisions of the Northern Amateur League and the Mid-Ulster League. The term "junior" is not related to the age of the players but the fact that the clubs are at amateur level.

There is one national junior cup competition: the Irish Junior Cup. At regional level, each of the four regional FAs organises its own cup competition. TheNorth East Ulster Football Association runs theCounty Antrim Junior Shield; the Mid-Ulster Football Association organises theMid-Ulster Shield, the North West of Ireland Football Association organises theNorth-West Junior Cup, and theFermanagh & Western Football Association organises theMulhern Cup.

For each division, its official name and number of clubs is given:

At national level, from 1890 until 1915 there was only one league theIrish Football League, which operated at senior level.

In 1915, theIrish Intermediate League was created at intermediate level.

In 1951, theB Division was also created at intermediate level. By 1954, the Irish Intermediate League had become defunct as many clubs left to join the B Division.

In 1977, the B Division split into Section 1 andSection 2.

In 1995, theIrish Football League split into two senior divisions: the Premier Division and the First Division.

In 1999, the B Division Section 1 was renamed the Second Division and Section 2 was renamed the Reserve League.

In 2003, theIrish Premier League was created as the single senior league in Northern Ireland. The Irish Football League First Division reverted to intermediate status alongside the Second Division.

In 2004, the IFA Intermediate League (First and Second Divisions) replaced the Irish Football League.

In 2008, theIFA Premiership replaced the Irish Premier League, and theIFA Championship andIFA Interim Intermediate League replaced the IFA Intermediate League.

In 2009, the IFA Championship was expanded and divided into two divisions and the IFA Interim Intermediate League folded.

In 2010, a pyramid system was introduced, with the possibility of promotion and relegation between the Championship and the four regional intermediate leagues.

In 2013, the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) took control of the senior league and the two intermediate divisions below, as well as the Reserve League.

In 2016, Championship 1 acquired senior status and was renamed the 'Championship'; Championship 2 was renamed the 'Premier Intermediate League'; the Reserve League became the Development League.

† Senior clubs' reserve teams have intermediate status and compete against other intermediate teams in many competitions.

The women's system currently has six steps. Each step has only one division. There is promotion and relegation between all levels. They are:^[3]

• 1:Women's Premier League
• 2: Women's Championship
• 3: Women's Divisions North 1–2 and South 1–2

• Football league systems in Europe
• Association football leagues in Northern Ireland

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