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      AUTHORPÆDIA is hosted by Authorpædia Foundation, Inc. a U.S. non-profit organization.

    William Dalrymple (historian)

    NIFL Premiership
    Season2024–25
    Dates10 August 2024 – 26 April 2025
    ChampionsLinfield
    RelegatedLoughgall
    UEFA Champions LeagueLinfield
    UEFA Conference LeagueLarne
    Matches played98
    Goals scored301 (3.07 per match)
    Top goalscorerMatthew Shevlin (17 goals)
    Biggest home winLinfield 5–1 Loughgall
    (24 August 2024)
    Biggest away winLoughgall 1–5 Cliftonville
    (14 September 2024)
    Highest scoringLinfield 5–1 Loughgall
    (24 August 2024)
    All statistics correct as of 16 November 2024.

    The 2024–25 NIFL Premiership (known as the Sports Direct Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the 17th season of the NIFL Premiership, the highest level of league football in Northern Ireland and the 124th season of Irish League football overall.

    Linfield won the title for the 57th time.[1]

    Teams

    The league consisted of twelve teams; the top eleven teams from the previous season, and one team promoted from the NIFL Championship. Larne entered the season as defending champions (for the second consecutive season).

    The promoted team was the 2023–24 NIFL Championship champions Portadown (returning to the top-flight after a one-season absence). They replaced the 2023–24 NIFL Premiership bottom-placed team Newry City.

    Stadia and locations

    class=notpageimage|
    Locations of the 2024–25 NIFL Premiership teams
    class=notpageimage|
    Locations of the Belfast-based 2024–25 NIFL Premiership teams
    Club Stadium Location Capacity[2][3]
    Ballymena United The Showgrounds Ballymena 3,824 (all seated)
    Carrick Rangers Loughshore Hotel Arena Carrickfergus 2,100 (380 seated)
    Cliftonville Solitude Belfast 3,054 (all seated)
    Coleraine The Showgrounds Coleraine 4,843 (1,607 seated)
    Crusaders Seaview Belfast 3,208 (all seated)
    Dungannon Swifts Stangmore Park Dungannon 2,000 (300 seated)
    Glenavon Mourneview Park Lurgan 3,302 (all seated)
    Glentoran The Oval Belfast 6,054 (3,991 seated)
    Larne Inver Park Larne 2,732 (1,632 seated)
    Linfield Windsor Park Belfast 18,434 (all seated)
    Loughgall Lakeview Park Loughgall 3,000
    Portadown Shamrock Park Portadown 3,940 (2,765 seated)

    Regular season

    League table

    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
    1 Linfield 33 24 4 5 61 23 +38 76 Qualification for the Section A
    2 Larne 33 15 9 9 39 28 +11 54
    3 Glentoran 33 15 9 9 40 31 +9 54
    4 Dungannon Swifts 33 15 5 13 44 40 +4 50
    5 Crusaders 33 15 5 13 41 43 −2 50
    6 Coleraine 33 13 10 10 49 41 +8 49
    7 Cliftonville 33 13 7 13 44 37 +7 46 Qualification for the Section B
    8 Portadown 33 13 7 13 39 38 +1 46
    9 Ballymena United 33 13 4 16 40 42 −2 43
    10 Glenavon 33 10 9 14 35 43 −8 39
    11 Carrick Rangers 33 6 9 18 24 48 −24 27
    12 Loughgall 33 4 6 23 29 71 −42 18
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Drawing of lots [4]


    Results

    For matches 1–22, each team plays every other team twice (home and away). For matches 23–33, each team plays every other team for the third time (either at home or away).

    Home \ Away BYM CRK CLF COL CRU DUN GLA GLT LAR LIN LGL POR BYM CRK CLF COL CRU DUN GLA GLT LAR LIN LGL POR
    Ballymena United — 1–2 3–2 0–1 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–0 1–2 0–2 4–1 0–3 — — 1–0 — — — 0–2 1–1 — 2–2 — 2–0
    Carrick Rangers 1–4 — 2–0 2–1 3–0 0–1 2–0 2–3 1–2 1–3 0–0 0–1 0–0 — — 0–1 0–0 — — 0–0 1–0 — 0–0 —
    Cliftonville 0–1 3–0 — 2–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–2 1–3 0–0 4–0 1–0 — 3–0 — — — 0–2 — 2–0 — — 2–0 2–2
    Coleraine 4–2 3–1 0–0 — 1–2 4–1 0–2 2–1 1–1 0–3 2–0 2–0 2–2 — 2–2 — 0–2 — — 1–2 — — — 1–0
    Crusaders 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 — 2–2 0–1 1–3 1–3 2–3 3–1 0–3 3–1 — 2–0 — — 1–5 — — — 0–2 1–1 3–2
    Dungannon Swifts 1–0 4–0 1–4 1–1 1–0 — 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–1 1–3 2–0 0–3 3–1 — 1–1 — — 2–3 — — 0–3 2–1 —
    Glenavon 0–1 1–1 1–2 3–3 3–1 1–1 — 0–3 0–0 0–3 2–2 2–1 — 2–1 3–1 0–1 0–1 — — — 0–1 — — 2–0
    Glentoran 1–0 1–1 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–0 0–0 — 0–2 1–0 2–0 0–2 — — — — 0–1 1–0 3–3 — 2–2 0–0 — —
    Larne 0–1 0–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 0–3 1–1 2–0 — 0–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 — 2–0 1–1 0–1 0–1 — — — — — —
    Linfield 2–0 1–0 1–2 3–0 2–1 3–1 1–0 1–3 0–1 — 5–1 2–1 — 3–0 2–1 0–2 — — 2–0 — 1–0 — 1–0 —
    Loughgall 2–3 3–0 1–5 0–4 0–4 0–2 3–0 2–2 1–4 1–3 — 2–2 2–1 — — 1–3 — — 0–2 1–2 0–1 — — 0–1
    Portadown 0–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 2–2 1–0 — — 1–0 — — — 1–1 — 0–2 2–0 1–3 — —
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

    Matches 34–38

    For the final five matches, the table splits into two halves, with the top six teams forming Section A and the bottom six teams forming Section B. Each team plays every other team in their respective section once. The fixtures are reversed from those played during rounds 23–33, ensuring that teams have played every other team in their respective section twice at home and twice away overall throughout the season.

    Section A

    League table

    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
    1 Linfield (C) 38 27 4 7 69 28 +41 85 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
    2 Larne 38 17 12 9 46 33 +13 63 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round
    3 Glentoran 38 17 10 11 49 37 +12 61 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round play-off[a]
    4 Dungannon Swifts 38 17 6 15 51 48 +3 57
    5 Coleraine 38 15 10 13 55 50 +5 55
    6 Crusaders 38 16 6 16 47 53 −6 54
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Drawing of lots[5]
    (C) Champions
    Notes:
    1. ^ The 2024–25 Irish Cup winners (Cliftonville or Dungannon Swifts) qualify for the Conference League second qualifying round; their Conference League play-off spot will be vacated.


    Results

    Each team plays each other once (either at home or away).

    Home \ Away COL CRU DUN GLT LAR LIN
    Coleraine — — 3–2 — 1–2 1–0
    Crusaders 3–0 — — 0–4 2–2 —
    Dungannon Swifts — 1–0 — 3–2 1–1 —
    Glentoran 2–1 — — — — —
    Larne — — — 0–0 — 2–1
    Linfield — 3–1 2–0 2–1 — —
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

    Section B

    League table

    Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
    7 Cliftonville 38 17 7 14 58 41 +17 58 Qualification for the Conference League first qualifying round play-off
    8 Portadown 38 16 8 14 48 45 +3 56
    9 Ballymena United 38 14 5 19 47 54 −7 47
    10 Glenavon 38 12 10 16 42 47 −5 46
    11 Carrick Rangers 38 7 11 20 32 59 −27 32 Qualification for the NIFL Premiership play-off
    12 Loughgall (R) 38 5 7 26 36 85 −49 22 Relegation to the NIFL Championship
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Drawing of lots[6]
    (R) Relegated


    Results

    Each team plays each other once (either at home or away).

    Home \ Away BYM CRK CLF GLA LGL POR
    Ballymena United — 1–1 — — 5–2 —
    Carrick Rangers — — 1–3 0–4 — 4–1
    Cliftonville 5–0 — — 2–0 — —
    Glenavon 2–0 — — — 0–1 —
    Loughgall — 2–2 1–4 — — —
    Portadown 2–1 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 —
    Source: Northern Ireland Football League
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

    Play-offs

    Conference League play-off

    Teams placed 3rd–7th qualified for one-off play-off matches, with the winners earning the second spot in the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League first qualifying round; the higher-placed team per game received home advantage. Teams finishing 4th-7th qualified for the quarter-finals; the 3rd-placed team qualified for the final.

    Since the 2024–25 Irish Cup winners will finish in the top seven (seventh-placed Cliftonville or fourth-placed Dungannon Swifts), a spot will be vacated.

    NIFL Premiership play-off

    The eleventh-placed club (Carrick Rangers) will face the second-placed club from the 2024–25 NIFL Championship (Annagh United) in a two-legged play-off for the final place in the 2025–26 NIFL Premiership.

    First leg

    29 April 2025 Annagh United v Carrick Rangers Portadown
    19:45 Stadium: BMG Arena

    Second leg

    2 May 2025 Carrick Rangers v Annagh United Carrickfergus
    19:45 Stadium: Loughview Leisure Arena

    References

    1. ^ "Linfield lift Irish Premiership after Glentoran win". BBC Sport. 5 April 2025. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
    2. ^ "AQW 1178/11". Northern Ireland Assembly. 18 October 2010.
    3. ^ "Sport NI Annual review 2008/09" (PDF). sportni.net. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2013.
    4. ^ "NIFL Premiership Rules 2024–25" (PDF). NIFL. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    5. ^ "NIFL Premiership Rules 2020–21" (PDF). NIFL. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
    6. ^ "NIFL Premiership Rules 2020–21" (PDF). NIFL. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
    Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_NIFL_Premiership

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