2026 Derry Senior Football Championship
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The 2026 Derry Senior Football Championship is the 105th edition of Derry GAA's premier gaelic football tournament for the top clubs. The sixteen teams who qualified for the 2026 senior championship (15 Senior League teams and 1 Intermediate League team) are explained in the 'Competition Format' section below.
Newbridge are the defending champions after winning their 11th Derry SFC title against Magherafelt.[1]
The draw for round 1 of the championship was made on 22 July 2026.[2]
Competition Format
The 2026 Senior Championship format is the same as it was in the 2025 Senior Championship.[3] The format is as follows:
- Round 1 - Open Draw: 8 vs 8
- Round 2A - Round 1 Winner vs Round 1 Winner (Open Draw)
- Winners of Round 2A straight into quarter final (Pot 1)
- Round 2B - Round 1 Loser vs Round 1 Loser (Open Draw)
- Losers of Round 2B into Relegation Playoff Semi Final (Open Draw)
- Round 2A - Round 1 Winner vs Round 1 Winner (Open Draw)
- Round 3 - Round 2A losers v Round 2B Winners (Pot 2)
- Quarter Final - Pot 1 v Pot 2
- Semi Final - Open Draw
- Final
Team Changes
The following teams have changed division since the 2025 championship season:
To S.F.C.
Promoted from 2025 Derry I.F.C.
From S.F.C
Relegated from 2025 Derry S.F.C.
Participating Teams
The clubs competing in the 2026 Derry S.F.C. are:
| Club | Location | Manager(s) | 2025 Championship Position | League | Championship Titles | Last Championship Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ballinascreen |
Ballinascreen | Relegation Playoff | Senior League | 4 | 1973 | |
 Ballinderry |
Ballinderry | Relegation Playoff | Senior League | 13 | 2013 | |
| Banagher |
Feeny / Park Area | Quarter-Finalist | Intermediate League | 0 | — | |
 Bellaghy |
Bellaghy | Quarter-Finalist | Senior League | 21 | 2005 | |
 Dungiven |
Dungiven | Round 3 | Senior League | 7 | 1997 | |
 Faughanvale |
Greysteel | Round 3 | Senior League | 0 | — | |
 Glen |
Maghera | Semi-Finalist | Senior League | 3 | 2023 | |
| Glenullin |
Termonfeckin | I.F.C Champions | Senior League | 3 | 2007 | |
 Kilrea |
Kilrea | Round 3 | Senior League | 0 | — | |
 Lavey |
Lavey | Quarter-Finalist | Senior League | 9 | 1993 | |
| Loup |
The Loup | Round 3 | Senior League | 0 | — | |
| Magherafelt |
Magherafelt | Runners-Up | Senior League | 6 | 2019 | |
| Newbridge |
Newbridge | Champions | Senior League | 12 | 2025 | |
| Slaughtneil |
Slaughtneil | Semi-Finalist | Senior League | 6 | 2020 | |
 Steelstown |
Derry | Quarter-Finalist | Senior League | 0 | — | |
| Swatragh |
Swatragh | Relegation Playoff | Senior League | 0 | — |
Round 1-3
Round 1
Draw for round 1 of the championship was made on 22 July 2026.
| 27 August 2026 Round 1 | Faughanvale |
1-08 (11) – (27) 2-21 | Lavey |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 29 August 2026 Round 1 | Steelstown |
4-13 (25) – (14) 0-14 | Swatragh |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 30 August 2026 Round 1 | Bellaghy |
1-21 (24) – (14) 2-08 | Dungiven |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
| 30 August 2026 Round 1 | Slaughtneil |
1-15 (18) – (27) 2-21 | Magherafelt |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 4 September 2026 Round 1 | Ballinderry |
2-17 (23) – (19) 2-13 | Ballinascreen |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
Round 2
Draw for round 2 of the championship was made on 30 August 2026.
Round 2A
| 6 September 2026 Round 2A | Steelstown |
1-10 (13) – (19) 3-10 | Magherafelt |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 9 September 2026 Round 2A | Glenullin |
2-13 (19) – (22) 1-19 | Ballinderry |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
Round 2B
| 3 September 2026 Round 2B | Kilrea |
3-14 (23) – (9) 1-06 | Faughanvale |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 6 September 2026 Round 2B | Banagher |
2-17 (23) – (34) 6-16 | Slaughtneil |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:15 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
| Report |
|
| 9 September 2026 Round 2B | Dungiven |
2-14 (20) – (16) 1-13 | Ballinascreen |
Derry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Celtic Park | ||||
| Report |
|
Round 3
Draw for round 3 of the championship was made on 9 September 2026.[6]
| 24 September 2026 Round 3 | Steelstown |
v | Kilrea |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:30 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
| 26 September 2026 Round 3 | Lavey |
v | Swatragh |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
| 27 September 2026 Round 3 | Glenullin |
v | Slaughtneil |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
| 27 September 2026 Round 3 | Bellaghy |
v | Dungiven |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
Relegation Playoffs
Relegation Semi-Finals
Draw for the relegation semi-finals was made on 9 September 2026.
| 26 September 2026 Relegation Semi-Final | Ballinascreen |
v | Loup |
Owenbeg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre | ||||
|
|
| 27 September 2026 Relegation Semi-Final | Faughanvale |
v | Banagher |
Derry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Celtic Park | ||||
|
|
Relegation Final
| 2 - 4 October 2026 Relegation Final | Relegation Semi-Final Loser | v | Relegation Semi-Final Loser | ||
|
|
Knockout Stage
Quarter-Finals
| 2 - 4 October 2026 Quarter-Final | Round 2A Winner | v | Round 3 Winner | ||
|
|
| 2 - 4 October 2026 Quarter-Final | Round 2A Winner | v | Round 3 Winner | ||
|
|
| 2 - 4 October 2026 Quarter-Final | Round 2A Winner | v | Round 3 Winner | ||
|
|
| 2 - 4 October 2026 Quarter-Final | Round 2A Winner | v | Round 3 Winner | ||
|
|
Semi-Finals
| 10 - 11 October 2026 Semi-Final | Quarter-Final Winner | v | Quarter-Final Winner | ||
|
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| 10 - 11 October 2026 Semi-Final | Quarter-Final Winner | v | Quarter-Final Winner | ||
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