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Football Championship 2026

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All the advantages are with the away teams.

They now get a good luck at their opponents going full tilt at a provincial title. They will have 3 weeks to plan for their away match - organize hotels, travel, training camp etc.
They have had a week or more to get analyze their own defeat and can now focus on how to exploit the opposition.

The provincial losers will be particularly vulnerable

Dublin v Louth - if there is any fight in Louth at all - they have to show it now.

Cork V Meath - Cork could be facing Meath after taking a clipping in Killarney - Meath know them well and will be well primed.

Monaghan v Mayo - Moran has 4 weeks to prepare Mayo for his old team - again if he has it between the ears, now it the time to have a winning plan for this one.

Westmeath v Cavan - Westmeath have to put everything into the Leinster final - they will be very vulnerable for a Cavan surprise

Kerry v Donegal - Kerry are in a pickle here. Go all out for a Munster title they dont need and show Donegal their hand or keep a surprise back for Donegal. Either way, you'd fancy McGuiness to have a plan here. Week long camp in Limerick before storming the Kingdom.

Galway v Kildare - the easiest draw available for Galway. Que a Kildare flop.

Armagh v Derry - Derry will know exactly what to do. doing it is another story, but they have the midfield to test Armagh.

Roscommon v Tyrone - Roscommon now need 3 big performances in a row - Something they haven't produced in 45 years. Que a Tyrone win as they are always dangerous when you don't hear from them

Dublin, Meath, Mayo, Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Armagh, Tyrone to progress

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1789 - 05/05/2026 09:54:35    2671043

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Replying To suckvalleypaddy:  "So the provincial finals are now dead rubbers, are we really accepting this nonsense?
Counties should agree to field developmental teams for them. It's the end of the local rivalry."
It was the counties who lobbied to get the draw done early to give them time to get travel, hotels etc sorted for the games.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 760 - 05/05/2026 10:02:41    2671046

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Replying To GaryMc82:  "Not If teams rest key players, field a 2nd string team in R1 and basically throw the game. You then still play two must win games and would be more likely to get a softer run into the QFs. Granted Its all dependent on the draw a team gets, but R1 winners play the other R1 winners in R2A, hardly a reward is it?

If Derry beat Armagh, we could potentially end up playing Kerry, Donegal or Galway in R2A.
Whereas if Derry lose R1, we could get Cavan, Kildare, Westmeath potentially. Then in R3 you playing the losing teams from R2A, so one of the weaker sides from the R1 winners."
this is something that seems a legit theory on paper but if you are in camp or in a dressing room the suggestion of throwing a game or anything like it is just anathema to a winning culture. I just can't see any advantage to fielding a weakened team in R1, sends out the wrong message completely to your squad and sets yourselves up for massive scrutiny nationwide, as well as disrespecting the teams you will then draw in the next rounds, giving them an extra fillup to put you in your place.

you go full tilt to win the match no matter what, and put yourself in as strong a position as possible going forward. if we beat Kerry in Killarney in championship the boost that will give us will be huge no matter if we then have to go to Galway or Armagh for example. You may be caught second day out because of energy and all the rest but you then have another match to take you to the quarters.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 326 - 05/05/2026 10:22:40    2671049

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Im not sure what you are trying to say here?
I dont think Wicklow have ever won Leinster. If they ever do achieve that dream dont you want it to mean the same as it did for Westmeath, Laois and even Louth last year?
Because if these lads get their way it wont. It will be a minor achievement as they dont want you to go into the All Ireland series where as Leinster Champions you would rightly belong if you aren't one of the best 16 teams based on your league performance."
For me, the main reason in favour of retaining the provincial competition is that it gives counties a chance to win a trophy. For example, Louth won a Leinster title last year which is just reward for the amount of work being done in the county. Even if they never win an All Ireland, they have their Leinster title. Most counties will never win an All Ireland. I think this year's All Ireland is between three counties: Kerry, Donegal and Armagh. I can't see any county outside these three winning it. You are correct, Wicklow have never won a Leinster title. Wicklow and Fermanagh are only two counties in Ireland without a provincial title.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2213 - 05/05/2026 10:22:57    2671050

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Replying To greenfan:  "It was the counties who lobbied to get the draw done early to give them time to get travel, hotels etc sorted for the games."
Its the seeding more than the timing that's the issue.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 332 - 05/05/2026 10:23:38    2671051

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I like most aspects of the 2026 system and rules (everything changes annually anyway). Maybe in 2027 there could be a bit more in it for provincial champions, like getting a bye in one of the playoff rounds. I love the GAA, every year is a brand new surprise.
Gaillimh Abu

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1272 - 05/05/2026 10:31:14    2671056

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A solution for next year:

Win your provincial, you're guaranteed home advantage til the QF. Every other tie is neutral.

It's not ideal, and it could mean the likes of Kerry and Dublin always play at home, but there needs to be some sort of incentive for winning province. The provincial finals are ceremonial in their current state.

Spoofer (Meath) - Posts: 64 - 05/05/2026 11:23:26    2671069

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The reality of this ridiculous format hitting home now. This nonsense got voted through on 92%!!!!
Hidden under the FRC changes at congress

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 596 - 05/05/2026 12:04:41    2671078

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Replying To RoyalBadger:  "The reality of this ridiculous format hitting home now. This nonsense got voted through on 92%!!!!
Hidden under the FRC changes at congress"
Congress has made some appalling decisions over the years. One would wonder how much thought goes into what they are voting FOR.

From my experience of Dublin I fear that people are way too easily swayed by big names and promises of all sorts of great things. Especially when something is being peddled as "this will be great for the clubs..."

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4265 - 05/05/2026 12:35:00    2671086

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Not a great format.

Group phase was much better.

All the usual know-alls complaining about dead rubbers ........ they rarely happened and so what if the odd one happens.

Then they were complaining that there was too many games to get rid of just 4 teams ..... do they not like football???

The only changes I would have made to last years system
-Provincials must be seeded as they feed into All Ireland series. Seedings must be on finishing league position (no wriggle room for Provincial council skullduggery!!). this would mean more evenly balanced groups as the seeding would be earned, rather than someone getting into a provincial final due to a lobsided draw and then getting a high seed.
-Reduce qualification out of group to 2 (not overly bothered with this one but it would add more jeopardy ......the word of 2025!!)

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1948 - 05/05/2026 12:51:30    2671092

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Replying To RoyalBadger:  "The reality of this ridiculous format hitting home now. This nonsense got voted through on 92%!!!!
Hidden under the FRC changes at congress"
It wasn't hidden at all. HQ spoke with all county boards. It was intentionally voted on at Congress in February 2025 when it wouldn't distract from the FRC changes the winter before and the winter after.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9703 - 05/05/2026 14:00:04    2671104

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Replying To Spoofer:  "A solution for next year:

Win your provincial, you're guaranteed home advantage til the QF. Every other tie is neutral.

It's not ideal, and it could mean the likes of Kerry and Dublin always play at home, but there needs to be some sort of incentive for winning province. The provincial finals are ceremonial in their current state."
Well the simplest solution was already in their hands and to be honest it was the way i thought they were doing it until i realised, only last week, the stupid approach implemented.
The solution would have been a hybrid of the 2025 and 2026 models i.e. hold the draws after the provincial finals, then instead of 2 pots use 4 pots as per 2025 with pot 1 ( provincial winners) at home to pot 4( lowest ranked teams) and pot 2 (runners up) at home to pot 3 (highest ranking non provincial finalists). That way , for example, galway v ros would have real significance as the winner would be drawn against a pot containing Meath, Donegal, Mayo, Louth and the losers in a pot with kildare, cavan,tyrone,derry. Now you might argue that the difference in the strength in pots 3 & 4 is not massive, but i dont think there is any provincial finalist who would not rather the pot 4 options than the pot 3

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 1069 - 05/05/2026 14:09:01    2671107

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