It has been a period of substantial growth in the women’s game as the NI Football League have published their review of the 2019 Women’s Premiership season.

Almost 6,000 people enjoyed games in the Women’s Premiership in the last campaign as there has been unprecedented media coverage of the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership this season with a total media value (MAVE) of €374k (up 962%). The growth is coupled with a 31.8% increase in page views of female specific news and content on the NIFL website and over 88,000 online video views of the video highlights from the league.

On the pitch The NI Football League successfully launched the new Women’s Academy League for Under-19 players in partnership with Electric Ireland to create a stronger pathway to senior women’s football for the most talented teenage players in Northern Ireland.

Linfield won their fourth consecutive Danske Bank Women’s Premiership title on goal difference, whilst Crusaders Strikers U19 were the inaugural winners of the Electric Ireland Women’s Academy League and Glentoran Women came out victorious in the Women’s Premiership League Cup Final in June.

The launch of the NI Football Writers’ Player of the Month Award has been coupled with the good news stories of Billie Simpson (Cliftonville Ladies) being shortlisted for the FIFA Goal of the Year Award and Nicole McClure (Sion Swifts Ladies) becoming the first player from the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership to play in a FIFA Women’s World Cup finals match kept the profile women’s game high throughout the season.

The NI Football League would like to thank all clubs, players, coaches, officials, supporters for their contribution this successful season as well as the media and sponsors for their backing of the women’s game this past campaign.