2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Championship details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 11 April — 26 July 2026 |
| Teams | 33 |
| All-Ireland Champions | |
| Provincial Champions | |
| Championship statistics | |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The 2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) will be the 140th edition of the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. Thirty-one of the thirty-two Irish counties are anticipated to take part. Kilkenny does not normally compete, while London and New York are expected to complete the lineup by entering the Connacht SFC.
The defending champions are Kerry, having won the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship by defeating Donegal on 27 July 2025.[1]
At the GAA's Annual Congress in Donegal in 2025, delegates approved a motion to revise the structure of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship from 2026 onwards.[2]
Under Motion 19, the championship will feature 16 teams:
- The four provincial champions
- The four beaten provincial finalists
- The 2025 Tailteann Cup winner (Kildare)
- The seven next-ranked teams, based on final position in the 2026 National Football League
- Position is based on standings after promotion and relegation are applied, and after finals are played; therefore, the top two teams in Division 2 outrank the bottom two teams in Division 1, and if the 2nd placed team in Division 2 wins the final, they are ranked above the 1st-place finisher who lost the final.
- If Kildare reach the Leinster final, their automatic berth as Tailteann Cup winners will transfer to the 8th-best team in the rankings not yet qualified.
The round-robin stage will be scrapped under the new format, moving to a modified double-elimination tournament.[3]
Provincial champions and runners-up shall be seeded in the draw for Round One of the knockout stage and given home-field advantage. The sixteen games will be played over two separate weekends; the Munster and Connacht finalists will play in the first weekend, while the Ulster and Leinster finalists' ties will highlight the second weekend.
The eight winners from Round One will move into Round 2A, while the eight losers will enter Round 2B. The winners of the four Round 2A ties will advance directly to the quarter-finals. The four Round 2A losers will meet the four Round 2B winners in Round 3 to decide the remaining quarter-finalists. All fixtures in Rounds 2 and 3 will be determined via semi-open draw; the team picked first will play at home and a re-draw or fixture swap will occur if a selected tie is a rematch of a provincial final or Round 1 matchup.[4]
The draw for the competition took place on 27 November 2025.
Teams
Thirty-three counties competed in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: seven teams in the Connacht Senior Football Championship, eleven teams in the Leinster Senior Football Championship, six teams in the Munster Senior Football Championship and nine teams in the Ulster Senior Football Championship.
Provincial championships
Connacht Senior Football Championship
Quarter-finals
Mayo will travel to London and Roscommon to New York for the first time since 2016. Both sides were due to head abroad in 2021 as part of Connacht's five-year rotation schedule but those games were scratched due to the COVID-19 pandemic. First two teams drawn of the other three counties play a third quarter-final; remaining team receives bye to semi-final stage, which is an open draw.
| 11 April 2026 Quarter-final | Mayo |
0-31 (31) – (18) 1-15 | Ruislip | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 BST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-17 - 0-6) | Venue: McGovern Park | |||
Pts: Ryan O'Donoghue 0-11 (1tpf, 1tp, 4f), Cian McHale 0-6 (2tp, 2f), Jack Carney 0-3 (1tp), Paul Towey 0-2 (tp), Michael Plunkett 0-2 (tp), Robbie Hennelly 0-2 (1'45, 1f), Paddy Durcan 0-2, Bob Tuohy 0-1, Jordan Flynn 0-1, Tommy Conroy 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Jim Davis 0-6 (3tp), Joe McGill 0-5 (1tp, 3f), Shay Rafter 0-3 (1f), Micheal O'Reilly 1-0, Kristian Healy 0-1 |
Referee: Patrick Neilan (Roscommon) TV: GAA+
|
| 12 April 2026 Quarter-final | Roscommon |
5-22 (37) – (13)1-10 | The Bronx, New York | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 EDT (UTC–4) | (HT: 5-11 - 1-4) | Venue: Gaelic Park | |||
Pts: Enda Smith 1-2, Robert Heneghan 1-2, Dylan Ruane 1-1, Darragh Heneghan 1-1, Eoin McCormack 1-0, Daire Cregg 0-3 (1f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-2 (1f), Keith Doyle 0-2, Senan Lambe 0-2 (1tp), Shane Cunnane 0-2, Conor Carroll 0-2 (2 45s), Eoin Ward 0-1, Conor Ryan 0-1, Paul Carey 0-1 (1f); Daire Cregg |
Report | Pts: Frank O'Reilly 0-5 (2f), Jack McKenna 1-1, Killian Butler 0-2, Jack Foley 0-1, Conor Keenan 0-1 |
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare) TV: GAA+
|
| 12 April 2026 Quarter-final | Sligo |
1-20 (23) – (24) 3-15 | Sligo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-7 - 2-7) | Venue: Markievicz Park | |||
Pts: Lee Deignan 0-7 (1tp, 2f), Alan McLoughlin 0-5 (3f, 1tp), Luke Towey 0-3 (1tp), Pat Spillane 1-0, Niall Murphy 0-2 (1f), Cian Lally 0-1, Jack Lavin 0-1, David Quinn 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Barry McNulty 1-6 (1tp, 1f), Oisin McLoughlin 0-1, Ryan O'Rourke 1-0, Keith Keegan 1-0, Sean Harkin 0-2, Tom Prior 0-2, Fergal McLoughlin 0-1, Paul Honeyman 0-1 |
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
|
Semi-finals
| 25 April 2026 Semi-final | Galway |
1-20 (23) – 2-12 (18) | Carrick-on-Shannon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:30 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-11 - 0-4) | Venue: Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada | |||
Pts: Robert Finnerty 0-4 (1tp, 2f), Paul Conroy 0-3 (1tp), Shane Walsh 0-3 (2f), Liam Ó Conghaile 0-3 (1tp), Dylan McHugh 1-0, Cillian McDade 0-2, Sean Kelly 0-1, Shane McGrath 0-1, John Maher 0-1, Finnian Ó Laoi 0-1, John Daly 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Oisín McLaughlin 1-1, Killian Gaffey 0-3 (1tp, 1 45), Jack Kelly 1-0, Riordan O'Rourke 0-2, Barry McNulty 0-2 (1tpf), Paul Honeyman 0-2 (1tp), Ben Guckian 0-1 (1f), Ryan O'Rourke 0-1 (1f) |
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh) Attendance: 4,843 TV: GAA+
|
| 26 April 2026 Semi-final | Mayo |
1-18 (21) – 2-25 (31) | Castlebar | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-11 - 1-08) | Venue: McHale Park | |||
Pts: Ryan O'Donoghue 1-4 (1tpf, 2f), Kobe McDonald 0-6 (1tpf), Conor Loftus 0-2, Paddy Durcan 0-2, Jordan Flynn 0-1, Paddy Durcan 0-1, Jack Carney 0-1, Matthew Ruane 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Diarmuid Murtagh 1-10 (1tp, 1tpf, 2f), Darragh Heneghan 1-3, Enda Smith 0-3, Dylan Ruane 0-3, Robert Heneghan 0-2 (1f), Keith Doyle 0-2, Colm Neary 0-1, Conor Hand 0-1 |
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath) Attendance: 15,321 TV: RTÉ2, GAA+
|
Final
| 10 May 2026 Final | Galway |
v | Roscommon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: Dr Hyde Park | |||||
|
|
Leinster Senior Football Championship
Dublin, Meath, Louth and Kildare, the previous year's semi-finalists, are seeded and given byes to the quarter-final. The other seven teams go into an open draw; the first six teams drawn play each other in the preliminary round, while the seventh team is given a bye to the quarter-final stage and placed in the same pot as the winners of the three preliminary matches.
Preliminary round
| 11 April 2026 Preliminary round | Offaly |
0-12 (12) – (21) 3-12 | Tullamore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-8 - 2-7) | Venue: Glenisk O'Connor Park | |||
Pts: Dylan Hyland 0-5 (1tpf, 1f), Keith O'Neill 0-2, Cormac Egan 0-1, Jordan Hayes 0-1, Diarmuid Egan 0-1, Marcus Dalton 0-1, Harry Plunkett 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Evan O'Carroll 0-5, Kevin Swayne 1-0, Ciaran Burke 1-0, Simon Fingleton 1-0, Ronan Coffey 0-2, Paul Kingston 0-2 (1f), Padraig Kirwan 0-1, Rioghan Murphy 0-1, Robert Tyrrell 0-1 |
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)
|
| 12 April 2026 Preliminary round | Carlow |
1-07 (10) – (21) 2-15 | Carlow | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-4 - 0-8) | Venue: Dr Cullen Park | |||
| Report | Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)
|
| 12 April 2026 Preliminary round | Westmeath |
5-25 (40) – (19) 1-16 | Longford | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 5-9 - 1-8) | Venue: Pearse Park | |||
| Gls: Luke Loughlin 2, Brandon Kelly 2, Shane Corcoran 1 Pts: Luke Loughlin 2-2, Brandon Kelly 2-2, Shane Corcoran 1-4, Ray Connellan 0-5 (2tp), Matthew Whittaker, Conor Dillon 0-3 each, Tom Molloy, Sam McCartan (1tpf) 0-2 each, Ronan Wallace, Kevin O’Sullivan 0-1 each |
Report | Gls: James Moran 1 Pts: Dylan Farrell 0-10 (4tpf, 1f), Dessie Reynolds 0-4 (2tp), James Moran 1-0, Daniel Reynolds, Paddy Moran 0-1 each |
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
|
Quarter-finals
| 19 April 2026 Quarter-final | Meath |
0-25 (25) – (30) 4-18 | Tullamore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-9 – 2-9) | Venue: O'Connor Park | |||
Pts: Ruari Kinsella 0-6 (2tp), Eoghan Frayne 0-4 (1tp), James Conlon 0-4, Jack Flynn 0-4 (1tp), Jordan Morris 0-3 (2f), Jack O'Connor 0-2, Aaron Lynch 0-2, Bryan Menton 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1tp), Shane Corcoran 1-2, Sam McCartan 0-4 (3f), Matthew Whittaker 1-0, Robbie Forde 1-0, Danny McCartan 1-0, Ray Connellan 0-2, Brandon Kelly 0-2, Brian Cooney 0-1, Kevin O'Sullivan 0-1 |
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
|
| 19 April 2026 Quarter-final | Louth |
1-25 (28) – (11) 0-11 | Carlow | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-14 – 0-5) | Venue: Dr Cullen Park | |||
Pts: Sam Mulroy 1-4 (1 pen, 1tp, 2f), Ciaran Keenan 0-1 (1tp), Tadhg McDonnell 0-4, Conor Early 0-3, Conall McCaul 0-3, Dara McDonnell 0-3, Ryan Burns 0-1, Ciaran Downey 0-1, Sean Reynolds 0-1, Paul Mathews 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Mark Rossiter 0-7 (1tpf, 3f), Michael Kinsella 0-2, Cathal Kehoe 0-1, Tom Byrne 0-1 |
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan
|
| 19 April 2026 Quarter-final | Wicklow |
2-14 (20) – (22) 2-16 | Aughrim | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-7 - 1-11) | Venue: Aughrim Park | |||
Pts: Eoin Darcy 2-2 (1 pen), Dean Healy 0-5 (2tp), Oisin McGraynor 0-4 (1tpf, 1f), Padraig O'Toole 0-1, Cian Deering 0-1, Christopher O'Brien 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Paddy Small 1-6 (2tp), Seán Bugler 0-5, Charlie McMorrow 1-0, Killian McGinnis 0-2 (1tp), Con O'Callaghan 0-1 (1f), Colm Basquel 0-1, Niall Scully 0-1 |
Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan)
|
| 19 April 2026 Quarter-final | Kildare |
2-20 (26) – (21) 2-15 | Newbridge | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:45 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-10 – 2-7) | Venue: St Conleth's Park | |||
Pts: Darragh Kirwan 1-4 (1tp), Eoin Cully 0-5, Ben Loakman 1-2 (1f), Ben McCormack 0-4, Darragh Swords 0-2, Tommy Gill 0-2, Kevin Feely 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Paul Kingston 1-3 (1f), Daragh Galvin 1-2, Evan O'Carroll 0-3, Killian Roche 0-3 (1tpf, 1 45), Kevin Swayne 0-1, Ronan Coffey 0-1, Patrick O'Sullivan 0-1, Cian Nolan 0-1 |
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
|
Semi-finals
| 2 May 2026 Semi-final | Louth |
v | Portlaoise | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: O'Moore Park | ||||
| TV: GAA+
|
Final
Munster Senior Football Championship
Clare and Kerry, the 2025 Munster Senior Football Championship finalists, receive byes to the semi-final stage but are not seeded. All fixtures determined by open draw.
Quarter-finals
| 12 April 2026 Quarter-final | Tipperary |
0-15 (15) – (10) 1-7 | Dungarvan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-5 - 1-3) | Venue: Fraher Field | |||
Pts: Seán O'Connor 0-6 (1tp, 2f), Cian Smith 0-4 (3f), Jack O'Neill 0-1, Charlie King 0-1, Eoin Craddock 0-1, Micheál Freaney 0-1, Killian Butler 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Michael O'Brien 1-0, Stephen Curry 0-2 (1f), Alan Dunwoody 0-2, Billy Hynes 0-1, Conor Murray 0-1, Adam Murray 0-1 |
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)
|
| 12 April 2026 Quarter-final | Cork |
4-16 (28) – (19) 1-16 | Cork | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 4-10 - 0-7) | Venue: Páirc Uí Chaoimh | |||
Pts: Steven Sherlock 0-4 (1'45, 1f), Tommy Walsh 1-0, Ian Maguire 1-0, Seán McDonnell 1-0, Dara Sheedy 1-0, Mark Cronin 0-3, Conor Calahane 0-3, Paul Walsh 0-2, Chris Óg Jones 0-2, Luke Fahy 0-1, Brian Hurley 0-1 |
Report | Pts: James Naughton 1-4 (1pen, 1f), Eliah O'Riordan 0-5 (4'45, 1f), Barry Coleman 0-2 (tp), Killian Ryan 0-1, Rory O'Brien 0-1, Cillian Fahy 0-1, Peter Nash 0-1, Mark McCarthy 0-1 |
Referee: Séamus Mulhare (Laois)
|
Semi-finals
| 25 April 2026 Semi-final | Kerry |
2-19 (25) – 1-14 (17) | Ennis | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-13 - 1-6) | Venue: Cusack Park | |||
Pts: David Clifford 1-7 (2tpf), Paudie Clifford 1-3 (1tpf), Diarmuid O'Connor 0-3, Killian Spillane 0-2, Micheál Burns 0-2, Dylan Casey 0-1, Keith Evans 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Mark McInerney 0-6 (2tp, 1f), Aaron Griffin 0-4, Alan Sweeney 1-0, Conor Meaney 0-2, Cormac Murray 0-1, Brian McNamara 0-1 |
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway) TV: GAA+
|
| 25 April 2026 Semi-final | Tipperary |
1-12 (15) – 4-18 (30) | Thurles | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-4 - 1-5) | Venue: Semple Stadium | |||
Pts: Seân O'Connor 1-6 (1tpf, 1f), Micheál Freany 0-2 (1tp), Eoin Craddock 0-1, Cian Smith 0-1 (1f), Daithí Hogan 0-1, Killian Butler 0-1 |
Pts: Chris Óg Jones 2-2, Steven Sherlock 0-7 (1tp, 2f), Colm O'Callaghan 1-0, Conor Corbett 1-0, Luke Fahy 0-3, Brian Hurley 0-3 (1tp), Brian O'Driscoll 0-1, Mark Cronin 0-1, Ruairí Deane 0-1 |
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
|
Final
| 10 May 2026 Final | Kerry |
v | Killarney | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: Fitzgerald Stadium | |||||
| TV: RTÉ2
|
Ulster Senior Football Championship
Derry, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan receive byes to quarter-final stage having played in the preliminary game in either 2024 or 2025. First two teams drawn of the remaining five counties play a preliminary game; remaining ties determined by open draw.
Preliminary round
| 12 April 2026 Preliminary round | Armagh |
1-17 (20) – (19) 1-16 (a.e.t.) |
Armagh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:15 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-8 – 0-4) (FT: 0-13 – 1-10) |
Venue: Athletic Grounds | |||
Pts: Oisin O'Neill 0-6 (1tpf, 3f), Tomas McCormack 1-1, Callum O'Neill 0-3 (2f), Conor Turbitt 0-2, Ross McQuillan 0-2, Blaine Hughes 0-1 ('45), Darragh McMullan 0-1, Cian McConville 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Conn Kilpatrick 0-4 (1tp), Michael McKernan 0-3 (1tp), Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Ben McDonnell 1-0, Ethan Jordan 0-2 (1f), Peter Teague 0-1, Ciaran Daly 0-1, Seanie O'Donnell 0-1, Eoin McElholm 0-1 |
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan) Attendance: 16, 091 TV: RTÉ Two BBC Two NI
|
Quarter-finals
| 18 April 2026 Quarter-final | Derry |
2-23 (29) – (16) 1-13 | Derry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 BST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-11 – 1-4) | Venue: Celtic Park | |||
Pts: Shane McGuigan 0-9 (1tp, 1tpf, 2f), Lachlan Murray 1-3, Paul Cassidy 1-1, Conor Doherty 0-3, Niall Loughlin 0-2, Ruairi Forbes 0-1, Eoin McEvoy 0-1, Padraig McGrogan 0-1, Ruairi O'Mianain 0-1, Brendan Rogers 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Niall Burns 1-3, Pat Shivers 0-2, Ryan McQuillan 0-3 (1tp), Eoghan McCabe 0-3 (1tp), Conor Hand 0-1, Paddy McAleer 0-1 (1f) |
Referee: David Gough (Meath) TV: BBC Two NI, GAA+
|
| 19 April 2026 Quarter-final | Cavan |
2-14 (20) – (27) 0-27 | Clones | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-8 – 0-15) | Venue: St Tiernach's Park | |||
Pts: Paddy Lynch 0-7 (1tpf, 1f), Darragh Lovett 1-1, Tiarnan Madden 1-1, Emmanuel Shehu 0-3 (1tp), Oisín Brady 0-2; Favour Shehu |
Report | Pts: Stephen Mooney 0-5, Rory Beggan 0-5 (1tpf, 3 45s), Dessie Ward 0-4 (1tp), Micheál Bannigan 0-3 (1f), David Garland 0-2, Stephen O'Hanlon 0-2, Andrew Woods 0-2, Aaron Carey 0-2, Karl Gallagher 0-2 (1tp) |
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone) TV: BBC Two NI, GAA+
|
| 25 April 2026 Quarter-final | Fermanagh |
1-24 (27) – (38) 2-32 | Enniskillen | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:30 BST (UTC+1) | (HT: 0-4 - 1-17) | Venue: Brewster Park | |||
Pts: Darragh McGurn 1-12 (5tp), Conor O'Hanlon 0-4 (2tp), Brandon Horan 0-2 (1tp), Jonathan Cassidy 0-1, Garvan Jones 0-1 (1f), Sean Cassidy 0-1, Conor Love 0-1, Josh Largo Elis 0-1, Mattie McDermott 0-1 |
Report | Pts: Conor Turbitt 1-6 (1tpf, 1f), Jason Duffy 1-2, Oisín Conaty 0-5, Jarly Óg Burns 0-4, Oisín O'Neill 0-4, Tiernan Kelly 0-3, Ethan Rafferty 0-2 (1tpf), Ross McQuillan 0-2, Darragh McMullan 0-2 (1tp), Cian McConville 0-2 (1f) |
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry) TV: GAA+
|
| 26 April 2026 Quarter-final | Donegal |
1-21 (24) – (30) 3-21 | Letterkenny | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 IST (UTC+1) | (HT: 1-7 - 0-11) | Venue: O'Donnell Park | |||
Pts: Michael Murphy 0-7 (1tpf, 4f), Oisín Gallen 0-5, Caolan McGonagle 1-0, Conor O'Donnell 0-3, Jason McGee 0-2 (1tp), Peadar Mogan 0-2 (1tp), Shea Malone 0-2 (1tp) |
Report | Pts: Pat Havern 0-7 (1tp, 4f), Daniel Guinness 1-3, Mícheál Rooney 2-0, Adam Crimmins 0-4, Odhran Murdock 0-3, Ryan McEvoy 0-2 (1tp), Caolan Mooney 0-1, Ceilum Doherty 0-1 |
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Down) TV: GAA+
|
Semi-finals
| 2 May 2026 Semi-final | Derry |
v | Armagh | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: Athletic Grounds | |||||
| TV: GAA+
|
| 3 May 2026 Semi-final | Armagh |
v | Clones | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: St Tiernach's Park | |||||
| TV: BBC Two NI, RTÉ2, GAA+
|
Final
| 17 May 2026 Final | Derry/Monaghan | v | Armagh/Down | Clones | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue: St Tiernach's Park | |||||
| TV: BBC Two NI, RTÉ2, GAA+
|
All Ireland series
Stadia and locations
Statistics
Top scorers
Overall
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In a single game
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|