NORTHERN IRELAND Premiership
The Northern Ireland Premiership is the top professional football league in Northern Ireland. It is contested by 12 clubs and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Irish Championship.
The league was formed in 2013, following the merger of the Irish Premier League and the Irish Football League.
The league operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Irish Championship, with the bottom team in the Premiership being relegated to the Championship and the top team in the Championship being promoted to the Premiership. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing a total of 36 matches.
Linfield F.C. is the most successful team in the history of the league. Some of the most popular teams in the Northern Ireland Premiership include Crusaders, Cliftonville, and Glentoran.
The top four teams in the league qualify for the Europa League, with the champion qualifying for the group stage and the other three teams entering in the preliminary rounds.