National Football Leagues 2026

billyhead · 23-03-2026 12:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124334027#Comment_124334027

The championship takes on a life of its own. I'd fancy Tyrone in that match.

FullBack Jam · 23-03-2026 12:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124334342#Comment_124334342

I don't know. I think Armagh are not too far away from being possible All-Ireland contenders. They were so good in the second half against Dublin. I know the general consensus is that Kerry and Donegal are a bit ahead of the pack. But I wouldn't have Armagh too far behind.

MacDanger · 23-03-2026 01:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124334449#Comment_124334449

Same here - I'd have Armagh as 3rd behind Kerry & Donegal.

Galway might have the squad to compete but I think Joyce is too conservative in his approach and is probably holding them back

downthemiddle · 23-03-2026 02:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124334449#Comment_124334449

Armagh probably match up to Kerry better than any other team. They’ll go deep into the championship.

Treble double · 23-03-2026 04:42PM

Would it be better to have a 3 Division Leauge system, 11 teams in Division 1, 11 in Division 2 and 10 in Division 3. That would mean 10 games, 5 home and 5 away in the the top two divisions. No leauge finals and have 3 relegated and 3 promoted to keep it interesting.

theoneeyedman · 23-03-2026 09:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124335049#Comment_124335049

How many weeks are on the planet that you want to play that in competition on ??

We have one competition that ,while not perfect, is very good and has little or waste or dead rubbers. Can we just leave it alone and enjoy it ?

There might be logic in having 3 championships (Junior,Senior , intermediate) as most counties do,but were a long way from that.

Neddyusa · 23-03-2026 10:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124333758#Comment_124333758

Roscommon had achieved their objectives for the league last week.

We've won four D2 league finals in Croker within the last decade, so a spring day out in the capital is not on any supporters wish list.

We've had enough good leagues followed by championship flops and wins in the summer is what it's all about!

Mark Dowd wanted to avoid a league final which most D1 teams do…maybe even all except Kerry.…did Donegal really want to be in it??

In any case, the two teams that made it to the final have bigger breaks till championship than Ros and Mayo. And both Ros and Mayo play their games outside of Ireland in less than 3 weeks. You may say they are not difficult games, but they involve significant logistics and distractions, which a league final would disrupt preparations for.

Look, it's a flaw of the league system, that because it runs straight into championship, D1 teams want to finish mid table, but with the condensed season, there's probably no avoiding that, unless the final was done away with altogether....

Bass Reeves · 24-03-2026 12:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124335049#Comment_124335049

Wiuld you get supporterscto go to10 games. Giving a weeks break between every three games would require 13 weekend to run the competition. It would have to start straight after Christmass to be completed by endvof March. Nothing wrong with the present competition. The finals generate substantial cash

Treble double · 24-03-2026 01:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124335699#Comment_124335699

It's two extra games for each county or one extra for counties that have to play in Leauge finals, which teams seem to be non plussed about, it gives an even number of home and away games and it is a proper league with the team finishing top of the table deemed the winner. Teams would go all out to win it and it would end the dreaded "Shadow Boxing".

dxhound2005 · 24-03-2026 11:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336123#Comment_124336123

It is not a proper league. A proper league using the existing divisions would be home and away. Giving each county 14 games to achieve promotion / avoid relegation. More than most counties get combining the League, the Provincials and Sam/Tailteann. The winner of Division One would be All Ireland Champions.

Same chance of that happening as your idea, exactly none. But a league should be the way to decide the best teams, not a knockout competition, based on unequal provinces.

dxhound2005 · 24-03-2026 01:11PM

The times and the referees for the League Finals. The clocks will be changing at 2 am on Sunday. I got the attendance figures below from X, presumably they were also double headers? There won't be a big turnout from Kerry on Sunday, even though they are going for two in a row.

https://www.gaa.ie/article/referees-appointed-for-2026-allianz-league-football-finals

2025 - 21,596 (Kerry vs Mayo) 2024 - 33,121 (Derry vs Dublin) 2023 - 45,041 (Mayo vs Galway)

2022 - 31,506 (Kerry vs Mayo) 2019 - 44,257 (Mayo vs Kerry) 2018 - 36,527 (Dublin vs Galway)

2017 - 53,840 (Kerry vs Dublin) 2016 - 82,300 (Dublin vs Kerry) 2015 - 31,548 (Dublin vs Cork)

2014 - 38,841 (Dublin vs Derry) 2013 - 33,134 (Dublin vs Tyrone) 2012 - 22,827 (Cork vs Mayo)

2011 - 36,348 (Cork vs Dublin)

No finals in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid. There was a full house in 2016 for reasons not connected with the league.

LilNiall · 24-03-2026 01:50PM

Can see Meath taking a good crowd up but by the time Kerry v Donegal is finished it will be fairly empty I assume.

Not a great look for a final.

Charles Babbage · 24-03-2026 03:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336976#Comment_124336976

in the stands it will be hard to tell Meath supporters from Kerry or Donegal ones. Cork ones will be more distinctive, but so few as to hardly be noticeable.

Dickie10 · 24-03-2026 10:01PM

Meath could bring 10,000 on their own I’d say considering Meath and Donegal brought 82,000 to semi final a few months back. I’d say only a quarter of those will wait around for second match. The whole day out in Croke park is not a novelty for Meath fans as it might be for other counties. When their only out the road to hone it can be tempting to head off straight away and get the second half of Kerry gave by at home/pub/hotel

blowitupref · 26-03-2026 01:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124333877#Comment_124333877

Two 2nd string teams than B teams as I would expect 6 or 7 starters from each team to start again should they meet as expected next month.

If reaching the final was in their own hands you would see a different approach but Donegal was always going to beat Monaghan and it was slim chance that Kerry would lose to Armagh so can totally understand why that amount of changes was made. Problem for Roscommon was the lack of structure to the team. Strength in depth will improve once their Brigids players get more minutes and some of their established players didn't feature at all in the league due to injury, Ultan Harney,Conor Cox and Brian Stack.

gormdubhgorm · 26-03-2026 01:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338300#Comment_124338300

It’s a home from home for Meath now.

snowgal · 27-03-2026 11:59AM

itll be interesting to see the attendance. Think Donegal will bring a decent enough crowd, and Meath too. Have been waiting on ticketmaster all week to get 'decent' tickets (I have mine but for other family)which theyre slow to release, or else there is actually going to be a good attendance. Coming from Meath myself, Ill definitely stay around the 2nd game but I know half the crowd that are heading will hit the road as soon as its finishes..

LilNiall · 27-03-2026 12:28PM

Upper Cussack open (will look better for the cameras) but no terrace it seems. I think less than 25k.

enricoh · 27-03-2026 01:41PM

Getting to be a pricey day out if heading from cork, donegal n kerry with diesel over e2. I'm meath n 40 minutes away from croker so no excuse!

Krazy gang · 28-03-2026 08:36AM

Think half the country is still on a downer over the Ireland match Thursday night, I am myself anyway so the league finals are getting very little attention.

Been some great action and excitement in the league as a whole so should be 4vgoid finals. Donegal hopefully will go for it , because we know kerry will. Scary that kerry are still without paudie Clifford, gavin white, Shane ryan and diarmuid o Connor.

Cork and meath could be the game of the weekend. 2 counties on the up who are putting up big scores and statement wins. Cork could win this despite meath being favourites.

Down should win div 3 while division 4 is another hard one to call. Carlow had a great start to the league b4 a slip up. Longford finished very strong.

Hammer Archer · 28-03-2026 02:14PM

Weather's not meant to be great tomorrow which may have an impact on the attendance. The Cork game in Páirc Uí Rinn was probably our worst 70 minute performance of the league so would be nice, apart from the silverware element, to partially rectify that.

Though both sides are motoring along nicely coming into the championship. We've a number of players that have been out medium/longer term coming back to fitness. Still a bit concerned at our defence which lacks the depth our attack has.

blowitupref · 28-03-2026 06:40PM

Decent half of football in the Division 4 final Carlow 0-12 Longford 1-9

Krazy gang · 28-03-2026 07:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124347686#Comment_124347686

Carlow did most of the football but missed an awful lot of chances.

Hammer Archer · 28-03-2026 07:38PM

Carlow threw that away. Keeper at fault for both Longford goals (though the second was an excellent finish).

Then to hold onto the ball for nearly five minutes straight only to give it away cheaply without attempting a shot and concede the equaliser. Then they had the ball for the last minute but no one seemed to have the balls to take any sort of shot so it ended with a whimper. Even if it was a hail mary shot, it was risk free given that Longford weren't going to go down the other end with 10-15 seconds remaining.

DJIMI TRARORE · 28-03-2026 07:42PM

Decent div 4 final, fcuked up my 10e accumulator. Gone to extra ti.e

French Toast · 28-03-2026 07:59PM

A well deserved red for Longford. Brainless stuff at this stage of the game.

Krazy gang · 28-03-2026 08:17PM

Well deserved by carlow but they put their fans through the mill there. Lost count of how many attacking opportunities they messed up

Notmything · 28-03-2026 08:24PM

Delighted for Carlow, even as a Laois man.

They've been close to a breakthrough for the last year or two

BENDYBINN · 28-03-2026 09:38PM

Guinness gets his pint…

Hammer Archer · 28-03-2026 09:46PM

What are Wexford doing??? Some criminal misses letting Down off the hook.

National Football Leagues 2026

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