The Northern Amateur Football League extends its thanks to all stakeholders across Northern Ireland’s football community for their continued engagement as we progress towards the establishment of the National Conference Leagues, beginning with the launch of the Conference Premier in the 2026/2027 season.

The feedback received through the Conference Roadshows — alongside contributions from clubs, leagues, associations and the Governing Body — has been instrumental in shaping and refining the National Conference League model. The Expression of Interest phase attracted strong participation from clubs across the country, highlighting the significant opportunity these leagues present for the continued development of domestic football within the Performance Pathway.

Recent consultation has also identified areas where clubs sought further clarity, particularly in relation to league structure and home ground requirements. This information has now been confirmed and is available within our Information Pack, which can be downloaded below.

The formal application process will open in March 2026.

An Expression of Interest (EOI) for Intermediate Clubs wishing to participate in a play-off for Conference Premier (commencing August 2026) will open at that time.

The application process and scoring matrix for Conference League 1 and Conference League 2 will be released in April 2026, with applications for these divisions opening in September 2026.

Conference League 1 and Conference League 2 will commence in August 2027.

Download the National Conference League Information Pack:

National Conference League Information Pack

For any further queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

📧 conferenceleague@thenafl.co.uk