New look Women's Premiership football begins this weekend with full list of fixtures

The Sports Direct Women’s Premiership season kicks off this Sunday.

The league has been expanded with two new teams and the advent of professional contracts for female players.

In the opening round of fixtures reigning champions Cliftonville Ladies start the defence of their title at home to Linfield Women at Solitude.

The newly promoted clubs both begin their campaigns away from home as Larne Women make the trip to Sion Swifts Ladies for their first top-flight match and Ballymena United Women travel to Seaview to face Crusaders.

Last season’s runners-up Glentoran Women host Derry City Women at Ashfield while last season’s two promoted clubs Lisburn Ladies and Mid Ulster Ladies meet at the Bluebell Stadium.

The games come quickly as the second round of fixtures take place three days later on Wednesday 26 April, with Derry City hosting Cliftonville Ladies at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in the pick of the games. Opening Fixtures: Sunday 23 April 2023 Cliftonville Ladies v Linfield Women (4pm) Crusaders Strikers v Ballymena United Women (2pm) Glentoran Women v Derry City Women (2pm) Lisburn Ladies v Mid Ulster Ladies (4pm) Sion Swifts Ladies v Larne Women (2pm)

Gerard Lawlor, NIFL Chief Executive said; “We’re delighted to see the return of the Women’s Premiership and for the first time with our new title sponsor Sports Direct.

“We welcome two new clubs to the top-flight of female football in Northern Ireland and it with so much excitement about the new season it really does now mean more than ever, and we can’t wait to get started.”

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