'There will be a vote' over summer football - Lawlor
Northern Ireland Football League chief executive Gerard Lawlor is pushing for a vote on transitioning the Irish League to a summer football calendar. Proponents argue the shift would improve the competitiveness of Northern Irish clubs in European competitions.
Why it matters
Changing the league schedule could significantly impact the financial and competitive standing of Northern Irish football clubs on the international stage.
Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL] chief executive Gerard Lawlor says he hopes to discuss summer football with clubs before Christmas, with a view to a vote over changing the Irish League calendar as soon as the 2028-29 season.
Earlier in the week, Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins said it is "a worry" that Irish Premiership sides will never improve in Europe without a switch to summer football after his side became the third Premiership team to bow out of the qualifiers.
The Irish Premiership currently sits 51st in the Uefa coefficient system and could lose their fourth European spot if Larne, the only Northern Irish team left in the qualifiers, are knocked out before the group stages.
Lawlor has long been an advocate of summer football, something which has long been a discussion point within football in Northern Ireland.
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