The NI Football League can confirm that after eleven hugely successful years, the long-term sponsorship with Danske Bank will come to an end.

First established in 2012, the partnership has been one of the consistent features of the exponential growth of the NI Football League over the last decade into becoming one of the leading lights in the sporting landscape in Northern Ireland.

Over the eleven seasons of the Danske Bank Premiership, average match attendances have risen over 82% with 300,000+ fans enjoying top level football across the country each season.

In 2016, Danske Bank became one of the earliest backers in the vision for female football in Northern Ireland, committing to title sponsorship of the newly established NIFL Women’s Premiership, which initially positioned the NI Football League as the first league in European Football with the same sponsor for both men’s and women’s football.

Over £1 million in sponsorship support has been pumped into both leagues during this successful period.

NIFL Chief Executive Gerard Lawlor said: “Everyone at the NI Football League would like to express sincere gratitude to our friends at Danske Bank for their invaluable support over the last eleven seasons.

“The growth of our league has been supported by Danske Bank both financially and practically since the inception of the NI Football League and they can be incredibly proud of the legacy they will leave our organisation and our member clubs.”

The sponsorship will conclude at the end of the current dramatic men’s Danske Bank Premiership season, but there’s still plenty of football left as the title race looks set to come to a dramatic conclusion in the battle for the Gibson Cup.

Exciting new title sponsorships for both the Men’s and Women’s Premiership divisions will be announced by the NI Football League next month.