The ultimate guide to the Women's Premiership
The Women's Premiership returns for 2024 with plenty of changes on and off the pitch with a plethora of new managers and signings across the league.
The league has been reduced to nine teams after Sion Swifts' withdrawal earlier this year.
As a result, the clubs will play each other home and away over 18 rounds of fixtures, with the bottom side relegated automatically and the second from bottom facing a promotion/relegation play-off.
BBC Sport NI takes a look at how each of the nine teams are shaping up ahead of the opening fixtures this weekend.
Glentoran
2023 finish: 1st in Women's Premiership Manager: Kim Turner Captain: Jessica Foy One to watch: Kerry Beattie Stadium: Blanchflower Park
Glentoran wrestled back the Women's Premiership title from Cliftonville in style last year, going unbeaten in their league campaign and sealing a return to the Women's Champions League.
They also lifted the Irish Cup for the fifth successive season, and they will aim to retain both trophies this year.
Northern Ireland striker Kerry Beattie fired the Glens to the title last year, finishing as the league's top goal scorer with 28 goals, and she will be crucial to helping them do the double again this campaign.
The east Belfast outfit have further strengthened their squad in the transfer widow, signing defenders Sofie Keenan and Aimee Neal from Linfield and Sion Swifts respectively, as well as highly rated Northern Ireland underage midfielder Aimee Kerr from Ballyclare Comrades.
Jessica Foy, Glentoran captain: "We come into the campaign as league champions, and although winning it was a fantastic achievement, retaining it will be a much-more difficult task.
"We will stay focused on us, improve on last year's performances and look to start the campaign off well."
Cliftonville
2023 finish: 2nd in Women's Premiership Manager: John McGrady Captain: Marissa Callaghan One to watch: Katie Markey Stadium: Solitude
Cliftonville played in every game they could have last season, which appeared to take its toll on the squad as they finished second and lost the Irish Cup final against Glentoran.
They did manage to pick up the League and County Antrim cups, as well as play in the Women's Champions League for the first time against Benfica in August.
John McGrady's side failed to beat the Glens in the league last year, but should take confidence from edging Kim Turner's side in a thrilling League Cup semi-final earlier this month.
Striker Claire Shaw departed in the off-season, but Cliftonville have moved to add more depth to the squad, including Erin McAllister and Carla Devine from Linfield, whilst the exciting Northern Ireland Under-19 internationals Aoibhe O'Neill and Naomi McLaughlin, as well as experienced defender Tasmin McCartan, have all joined from Sion Swifts.
The league will be Cliftonville's main aim, but retaining their two trophies from last year will also be high on the agenda.
Carla Devine, Cliftonville forward: "The club just want to win and bring trophies home, and I want to help the team do that. Glentroan are a quality side, but hopefully this year we can come out the better team."
Crusaders Strikers
2023 finish: 3rd in Women's Premiership Manager: Jonny Tuffey Captain: Julie Nelson One to watch: Cora Morgan Stadium: Seaview
Crusaders had a solid campaign last year, again finishing in third, as Glentoran and Cliftonville battled it out for the title.
The Seaview side will want to solidify third place ahead of an improving Linfield and attempt to win a trophy in one of the various cup competitions.
Goals were a problem last season, with Jonny Tuffey's side scoring just 42 times, with the two teams above them both hitting over 100 goals.
Tuffey has brought in players to help improve Crusaders' attacking threat with Linfield youngster Emily Reid as well as Cliftonville forward Claire Shaw, who was part of the Crues team that last won the league in 2012, making the switch to Seaview.
If those players can hit the ground running, Crusaders should be able to claim third place once again.
Julie Nelson, Crusaders captain: "Our aim every year is to improve on the previous year. We have finished third consistently over the past three of four seasons, and we are aiming to push into the top two but it's a difficult challenge.
"We talk about breaking the duck in terms of silverware and that has to be a realistic aim."
Linfield
2023 finish: 5th in Women's Premiership Manager: Ryan McConville Captain: Mia Fitzsimmons One to watch: Keri Halliday Stadium: Midgley Park
It has been a revolving door at Linfield in the off season with plenty of players coming and going under returning boss Ryan McConville, who won eight trophies in three seasons in his previous stint.
Whilst they lost three bright talents in Keenan, Mia Moore and Reid, they have added some more with the likes of Bernadette Ferreira from Cliftonville and Eve Reilly from recently promoted Lisburn Rangers.
McConville has also moved to bring in experienced players to bolster an inconsistent squad that finished fifth last year.
Sion duo Cora Chambers and Naomi Donnan have been consistent Premiership performers, whilst 34-year old Grace Murray is a former Republic of Ireland international.
Key to Linfield's hopes of challenging Crusaders for third place and picking up silverware in one of the various cup competitions will be winger Keri Halliday, who scored 14 league goals last season and made her first start for Northern Ireland in the last international window.
Naomi Donnan, Linfield defender: "We want to build on last year. Everyone looks at the top of the table and you have Glentoran and Cliftonville leading the way, so we are looking to bridge that gap between us and them."
Lisburn
2023 finish: 6th in Women's Premiership Manager: Phil Lewis Captain: Christine Clews One to watch: Jessica Hall Stadium: Bluebell Stadium
Lisburn are entering their third season in the Women's Premiership and will hope to build on last season's sixth place finish this term.
They have a new manager at the helm in Phil Lewis, who won two league titles and two League Cups during his six seasons with Linfield.
He has wasted no time in adding some depth to his squad with the acquisitions of Sidra Younes Alsaidi from St Oliver Plunckett and Danielle Winter from recently relegated Ballymena United.
Northern Ireland underage international Rebecca Magee has signed from Glentoran along with Zoe Rodgers from Crusaders.
Another mid-table finish will be the aim for Lisburn, along with a scalp of a big side along the way as they recorded just one win against the five sides above them last year, a 1-0 victory against Crusaders.
Abbie Burnett, Lisburn midfielder: "I think we have improved as a collective. We want to challenge teams a bit more and we want to close the gap to the bigger teams. We know how difficult that will be but we want to keep pushing up the table."
Larne
2023 finish: 7th in Women's Premiership Manager: Phil McNamara Captain: Katherine Haveron One to watch: Hollie Johnston Stadium: Inver Park
Larne are another side who have a new manager and will have ambitions of pushing on up the table after finishing seventh in their debut campaign in the top-flight.
They have managed to keep hold of striker Hollie Johnston, who netted10 league goals for the Inver outfit last season.
New manager Phil McNamarra has, like McConville at Linfield, moved to add players with experience in the Women's Premiership to his squad.
Aimee-Lee Peachey, Hollie Mailey and Danni Jennings have arrived on the playing front, while former Celtic defender Kate Nicolson, Maddie Brant, Melissa Storey, Stacey Qosja and Kirsty Cameron have all been recruited from college football in the USA.
Tightening up their defence will be a real area of focus as they conceded 84 goals last term, the joint most in the league alongside relegated Ballymena.
Aimee Nellins, Larne defender: "We're excited for this year. We were happy with our first season last season. We have more expectations this year in what we want to achieve."
Derry City
2023 finish: 8th in Women's Premiership Manager: Paul Dixon Captain: Shannon Dunne One to watch: Ellie Redden Stadium: Ryan McBride Brandywell
The 2023 campaign was another miserable one for Derry City, who managed just three wins and went through a number of managerial changes.
Paul Dixon is at the helm for the new season and there is renewed optimism that they can push the likes of Larne and Lisburn above them, especially after beating the Inver outfit 4-0 in the preliminary round of the League Cup last month.
They have made seven signings, the most notable of those are the trio they picked up from Sion; Saoirse Healey, Tara O'Connor and Caoirse Doherty.
Avoiding relegation and picking up a few more wins against the sides around them will be the aim for the Candystripes as they begin another rebuild.
Shannon Dunne, Derry City captain: "Our aim is to win as many matches as possible, starting as early as possible.
"We want to try and get up the table. Last year we were underdogs and we eventually came good, so we want to start that a bit earlier this year."
Mid Ulster
2023 finish: 9th in Women's Premiership Manager: Noel Mitchell Captain: Rachael Rodgers One to watch: Niamh McDonnell Stadium: Stangmore Park
Like Derry's season, the 2023 campaign won't live long in the memory for Mid Ulster as they won just one game and survived relegation by a point.
They suffered a huge blow when goalkeeper Lilie Woods, who has been capped by Northern Ireland at senior level, left to join Newcastle United in January.
Mid Ulster have been quiet in the transfer window despite their small squad, and their third campaign in the Women's Premiership is set to be a struggle once again.
They look like favourites for relegation given the strength of the teams around them, but will be hoping that flying under the radar works in their favour.
Niamh O'Donnell, Mid Ulster defender: "We're trying new things and they are working well in training, so we will see how things go when the season starts. We want to improve on where we were last year, get more points on the board and a few more wins under our belt."
Lisburn Rangers
2023 finish: 1st in Championship Manager: Alastair Dickson Captain: Helen Parker One to watch: Ellie-Mae Dickson Stadium: Crewe Park
The newcomers to the Women's Premiership, Lisburn Rangers will play in the top-flight for the first time and they have earned it after sealing five consecutive promotions - astonishingly not losing a single league game in that time.
Rangers have pushed Cliftonville and Glentoran close in cup competitions in previous years and knocked Crusaders out of this year's League Cup at the semi-final stage.
They have, however, lost two pillars of their young squad which enjoyed so much success in the lower divisions.
Reilly moved to Linfield whilst they also lost once-capped Northern Ireland defender Ella Haughey, who joined Nottingham Forest.
They have managed to pull off a huge coup in adding the experienced goalkeeper Emma Higgins, who has won 87 NI caps, to their squad.
Rangers' main aim this campaign will be to establish themselves in the league and beat the teams around them, as well as trying to spring a few surprises against the bigger sides.
Erin McGreevy, Lisburn Rangers defender: "We're all very excited and we can't wait to get started. This has been a long time coming for us.
"The progression we have made through the NIFWA has been amazing so we can't wait to get started. It will be a big step up and there will be new challenges for us, but we will learn in every game."
