NISFA crest NISFA Northern Ireland Schools' Football Association
Schools' football in Northern Ireland

EVERY SCHOOL. EVERY PUPIL. ONE GAME.

NISFA provide cup football for primary and post-primary schools across Northern Ireland, for pupils aged 8 to 18. Boys, girls and mixed teams, from first-round ties on a Tuesday afternoon to national finals played at stadiums.

Post-primary competitions Primary competitions
Two players compete for the ball during a NISFA final
Ages 8–18 From Primary 5v5 through to post-primary 11v11
Boys & girls Parallel pathways at every age group
Cup football Knockout ties, semi-finals and national finals
EVERY DISTRICT Schools from across the province compete
What we run

Three strands, one pathway

Post-primary players challenge for the ball

Post-primary

Senior and junior cups for boys and girls, Year 8 through to Year 14. Schools enter in September and ties run through the winter to finals in the spring.

See the competitions
A primary school team with their cup

Primary

Small-sided cup and festival football for Year 5 to Year 7. Short games, big squads, and a finals day where every pupil who travels gets a game.

See the competitions
A Northern Ireland schools' player reaches for a high ball under floodlights

International

Northern Ireland schools' participate in SAFIB competitions; U18 Boys Centenary Shield, U14 Girls' Rod Houston, U14 Boys' Allen McKinstry playing the other home nations.

How selection works
From the finals

Finals week, in pictures

Girls' cup winners celebrate with the trophy
Dominican College Fortwillian celebrate winning the Danske Bank Girls' U16 Schools' Cup.
St Malachy's College players lift the trophy
St Malachy's continue their strong showing winning the U18 Danske Bank Boys' Schools' Cup.
School pupils cheering from the stand
Campbell College provide a show of strength on and off the pitch by capturing the Danske Bank U16 Boys' Schools' Cup.
A primary school team with their cup
NI Primary 7 a-side Finals kicked off at Allen Park. St Columba's Kilrea|Girls', Eden Carrickfergus|Small Schools', St Brigid's Derry|Medium and St Colman's Lisburn|Large Schools' Cup
Sponsors and partners

Put your name on schools' football

Over 300 schools across all sectors—Maintained, Controlled, Integrated, Grammar, and Irish Medium—compete in NISFA tournaments. Your support keeps Northern Ireland’s most popular school sport running without financial barriers. Together, we can elevate the pupil experience and ensure equal opportunity for every young person.

Talk to us about sponsorship