Northern Amateur Football League

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Northern Amateur Football League (NAFL) is a football league in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1923 and includes 13 divisions: four intermediate divisions (the Premier Division, Divisions 1A, 1B and 1C), three junior divisions (Divisions 2A, 2B and 2C), and six reserve divisions (3A–3F).

Season and format
The season runs from August to May. Each team plays every other team at home and away. A win is worth three points, a draw one point, and a loss none. Teams are ranked by points, then goal difference, then goals scored. The Premier Division champions are crowned league champions.

Divisions and promotion
- Premier Division: 14 clubs compete, playing 26 games each. The bottom two are relegated to Division 1A. The Premier champion may move up to the NIFL Premier Intermediate League if they meet the required standards.
- Division 1A: 14 clubs. The top two are promoted to the Premier Division; the bottom two are relegated to Division 1B.
- Division 1B: 14 clubs. The top two are promoted to Division 1A; the bottom two are relegated to Division 1C.
- Division 1C: added in 2009/10 and also has 14 clubs. The top two are promoted to Division 1B.
- Division 2A, 2B, 2C: three junior sections. The top team in Division 2A can be promoted to the Intermediate level if their ground meets the standards.
- Third Division: the reserve teams of clubs from the first and second divisions, split into six sections (3A–3F). Queens University Belfast A.F.C. reserves compete at a higher level, above the Third Division.

History and cups
The league started on 4 July 1923 in Belfast, originally for teams from public bodies, schools and firms. It joined the Irish Football Association as a junior league, with its first season in 1923/24 and first champions being the Co-operative after a playoff. The Clarence Cup cup competition began in the first season, while the Border Cup (also known as the Border Regiment Cup) was introduced in the 1930s and became a festive highlight. The league expanded after World War II, added several divisions over time, and eventually introduced automatic promotion and relegation within divisions in the early 1970s. The league has also seen long-term growth and sponsorship, including a Smithwick’s deal in 1985, and redesigned intermediate divisions in 1991 with ground-standards requirements for Premier clubs.

Cup competitions
There are two main intermediate cups:
- Border Cup (often called the Border Regiment Cup), a Christmas-time knockout for First Division clubs.
- Clarence Cup, a knockout competition for clubs across all divisions.

Current and records
Current champions (2024–25): Comber Rec. The team with the most championships is East Belfast, with 10 titles.