The Northern Amateur Football League would like to thank all stakeholders from across Northern Ireland’s football community for their continued engagement as we work towards the establishment of the National Conference Leagues, set to launch in the 2026/2027 season.

The input received through the Conference Roadshows, as well as from individuals, clubs, leagues, associations, and the Governing Body, has been invaluable in shaping and refining the National Conference League concept. The Expression of Interest phase saw a high level of participation from clubs across the country, underlining the significant opportunity the National Conference Leagues represent for the development of domestic football through the Performance Pathway.

Recent work has helped identify areas where clubs are seeking further clarity, particularly around league structure and home ground requirements. That information has now been confirmed, and we are currently finalising materials which will be shared in July.

We recognise that clubs, both those who have already expressed interest and others now considering the Performance Pathway, will require sufficient time to review the information before submitting a formal application. To support this, the formal application process will open in August. This will follow the release of the application questions and scoring matrix, and the application window will remain open through September.

Download the updated project timeline:

National Conference League Timeline

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

📧 conferenceleague@thenafl.co.uk