Group phase abolished as new football championship format approved for 2026

The All-Ireland senior football championship will have a new format in 2026, with the group phase abolished and replaced by a qualifier-style series.

GAA Congress approved the proposed changes to the football championship format, with a whopping 92.8% of delegates voting in favour.

The All-Ireland SFC group phase, in place since 2023, had been widely criticised for a lack of perceived jeopardy, with three out of four teams allowed progress to the knockout phase.

The new format will see the eight provincial finalists and the next seven teams as per league ranking, along with the Tailteann Cup winners, drawn together in the first round for the Sam Maguire Cup.

The eight provincial finalists would be drawn at home against one of the other eight, with the eight winners progressing to round 2A, where they would be drawn against each other, producing four winners that would progress to the quarter-finals.

The eight first round losers would pair off in round 2B to produce four winners, who would then be pitted against the four round 2A losers in round 3. The four round 3 winners would then complete the quarter-final line-up.

The draws would be subject to avoidance of provincial final pairings and ties from previous rounds, where possible.

The vote means that the 2025 All-Ireland football championship will be the last played under the current format.

The 2025 All-Ireland finals will incorporate extra-time, after a motion proposing that All-Ireland deciders go straight to replays after full-time was withdrawn following a spirited debate.

In addition to proposing that All-Ireland finals go directly to replays, Motion 3 also stipulated that provincial finals would not be decided on penalties, with games going to a replay should both teams