The Camogie Association has announced the master fixtures plan for 2026.

The National Leagues will get underway on 14th/15th February, with the All-Ireland Championships beginning on 23rd/24th May.

There is also a change in championship structures for 2026. The tier formats will remain, with Senior split into groups of four and six, and Intermediate into two groups of four. Seeding sees the 2025 semi-finalists entering Group One, with the top two sides in that group qualifying for the All-Ireland semi-finals. Third and fourth from Group One will progress to the quarter-finals, where they will face off against the top two sides from Group Two.

Master Fixtures Plan 2026 can be viewed here

Ratified structures can be viewed here

Meanwhile, a number of rules to be trialled during 2026 have been announced, applying to the National Leagues, Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Championships and U23 All-Ireland Championships only.

Trial rules:

- Helmet removal: A player who during a game removes their helmet or has had it removed by a player/official from the player’s own team shall be presumed to be potentially injured and shall be instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to be assessed for injury and the helmet refitted.

- The removal of substitutions upon the completion of 30 minutes of each half, and upon the completion of 10 minutes of each half in extra-time.

- Increasing the penalties for dissent from players and team officials.

- Team captains (or a nominated player when either the captain is the team’s goalkeeper, or the captain has left the field of play) are the only players permitted to speak to the referee to seek clarification of their decisions.

- Side-line pucks may be taken from the player’s hand, if she is inside her own 45.

These rules will be trialled throughout the 2026 season, with an initial review taking place following the conclusion of the National Leagues. Any necessary adjustments will be considered ahead of the Championship. A further review will then be undertaken, with any proposed permanent changes, informed by feedback from the trials, to be brought to Congress in 2027.

Full details of the trial rules are available here.

Commenting on the championship structures, Uachtarán an Chumainn Camógaíochta, Brian Molloy said: “Earlier this year, I highlighted the importance of ensuring our championship structures continue to deliver meaningful and competitive contests for all counties. Following a review of our formats for 2026, changes have been made to protect the integrity of our competitions, address imbalances, and ensure every county has the opportunity to compete at the appropriate level.

“We remain committed to strengthening our game and supporting our players. The current strength of Camogie, highlighted once again by last weekend’s outstanding Club Finals, gives us great confidence that these changes will help the sport continue on its upward trajectory.”

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