2026 FAI National League

FAI National League
Season2026
Dates29 August 2026 – November 2026
CountryRepublic of Ireland
Teams15
Matches5
Goals15 (3 per match)
2027 →
All statistics correct as of 29 August 2026.

The 2026 FAI National League, is the first (inaugural) season of the FAI National League, largely operating as the third tier Irish league for association football clubs.[1] It is the first third tier season overseen by the Football Association of Ireland since the end of the A Championship in 2011.[2]

Format

The first season of the FAI National League is due to be a truncated season, running from August to November, to assist in getting the newly added clubs in sync with the broader League of Ireland (LOI) schedule, as typically their seasons wouldn’t use the same calendar as the LOI. This also means that there will be no promotion to the First Division available in the league's first season.[3]

The 2026 format consists of 15 teams split up into 3 groups of 5. Each team plays the other teams in its group twice, home and away, for a total of 8 group games.

The 3 group winners as well as the best performing second-placed side are due to enter into a semi-final and then final at neutral venues, to crown the first ever FAI National League Champions.[4][5][1]

It was originally planned for there to be 20 teams which would be split into North and South leagues with 10 teams each. This is still planned to go ahead from the 2027 season onwards.[3][6]

Teams

Group 1

Locations of the 2026 FAI National League teams.
  •  Group 1 teams
  •  Group 2 teams
  •  Group 3 teams
Locations of the 2026 FAI National League teams in the Dublin region.
  •  Group 1 teams
  •  Group 2 teams
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Bonagee UnitedLetterkennyDry Arch Park
Cockhill CelticBuncranaCharlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds1,000
Home FarmWhitehall, DublinWhitehall Stadium1,800
Lucan UnitedLucanWestmanstown Road
Mervue UnitedGalwayFahy's Field

Group 2

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Letterkenny RoversLetterkennyLeckview Park1,000
Mayo FCCastlebarUmbro Park1,500
Salthill DevonGalwayDrom Soccer Park2,000
St FrancisBaldonnelJohn Hyland Park
TU DublinGrangegormanTU Dublin Ground

Group 3

Team Location Stadium Capacity
CK UnitedCarlowSETU Sports Campus
Killarney CelticKillarneyCeltic Park
Newbridge TownNewbridgeStation Road2,180
UCCCorkThe Mardyke800
VillaWaterfordworkLAB Connors Park

Personnel and kits

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Bonagee United Republic of Ireland Declan Lynch Republic of Ireland Gareth Harkin Joma Lurgyback Open Farm
CK United Republic of Ireland Tom O'Connor Republic of Ireland Emmet Nugent DSsports Square Root Solutions
Cockhill Celtic Republic of Ireland Gavin Cullen Republic of Ireland Lee McColgan O'Reillys HML Plant Sales
Home Farm Republic of Ireland Gavin Peers Republic of Ireland Daithi Folan Umbro Intersport Elverys
Killarney Celtic Republic of Ireland Tim Jones Republic of Ireland Matt Keane Joma Seefin Aviatons
Letterkenny Rovers Republic of Ireland Stephen McConnell Republic of Ireland Gareth Doherty Adidas Donnelly & Foley
Lucan United Republic of Ireland Darius Kierans Republic of Ireland Sean Quinn Uhlsport DHL
Mayo FC Republic of Ireland Anthony O'Neill Republic of Ireland Noe Baba Umbro Intersport Elverys
Mervue United Republic of Ireland Brendan O'Connor Republic of Ireland Liam Murray O'Neills Seapoint Leisure
Newbridge Town Republic of Ireland Martin Russell Republic of Ireland Nathan McAuley O'Neills N/A
Salthill Devon Republic of Ireland Greg Cunningham Republic of Ireland Callum Crowe Umbro The Dough Bros
St Francis Republic of Ireland Kevin Smith Republic of Ireland Seamus Curley Macron PJ Duffy & Sons
TU Dublin Republic of Ireland Jamie Moore Republic of Ireland Matthew O'Brien O'Neills N/A
UCC Republic of Ireland David Moore Republic of Ireland Daniel McCarthy Macron Bank of Ireland
Villa Republic of Ireland Conor Coad Republic of Ireland Luke Walsh Joma workLAB

Standings

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Bonagee United 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 Advance to Semi-final
2 Home Farm 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 Possible Semi-final based on ranking
3 Cockhill Celtic 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
4 Mervue United 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
5 Lucan United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI

Results

Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).

Home \ Away BON COC HMF LUC MRV
Bonagee United 17 Oct 2–2 12 Sep 3 Oct
Cockhill Celtic 31 Oct 5 Sep 10 Oct 24 Oct
Home Farm 10 Oct 26 Sep 31 Oct 12 Sep
Lucan United 24 Oct 19 Sep 3 Oct 5 Sep
Mervue United 19 Sep 1–1 17 Oct 26 Sep
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Salthill Devon 1 1 0 0 4 1 +3 3 Advance to Semi-final
2 Mayo FC 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3 Possible Semi-final based on ranking
3 TU Dublin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 St Francis 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
5 Letterkenny Rovers 1 0 0 1 1 4 −3 0
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI

Results

Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).

Home \ Away LKR MYO SDV STF TUD
Letterkenny Rovers 5 Sep 31 Oct 10 Oct 26 Sep
Mayo FC 3 Oct 17 Oct 1–0 12 Sep
Salthill Devon 4–1 19 Sep 24 Oct 3 Oct
St Francis 12 Sep 31 Oct 26 Sep 17 Oct
TU Dublin 24 Oct 10 Oct 5 Sep 19 Sep
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 CK United 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 3 Advance to Semi-final
2 Killarney Celtic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible Semi-final based on ranking
3 UCC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Villa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Newbridge Town 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 0
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI

Results

Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).

Home \ Away CKU KLC NBT UCC VIL
CK United 3 Oct 2–1 24 Oct 19 Sep
Killarney Celtic 12 Sep 10 Oct 5 Sep 24 Oct
Newbridge Town 17 Oct 19 Sep 3 Oct 5 Sep
UCC 26 Sep 17 Oct 31 Oct 10 Oct
Villa 31 Oct 29 Aug 26 Sep 12 Sep
Updated to match(es) played on 29 August 2026. Source: FAI
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Ranking of 2nd placed teams

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 1 Second place Group 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Semi-final
2 2 Second place Group 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 Second place Group 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: TBA. Source: FAI

Play-offs

Bracket

Semi-finals Final
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
Semi-final 1
Winner Group 1/2/3 or Highest ranked Runner-upvWinner Group 1/2/3 or Highest ranked Runner-up
Semi-final 2
Winner Group 1/2/3 or Highest ranked Runner-upvWinner Group 1/2/3 or Highest ranked Runner-up
Final
Winner Semi-final 1vWinner Semi-final 2

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The new FAI National League: All you need to know". rte.ie. 28 August 2026. Retrieved 29 August 2026. While colloquially referred to as a third tier, it's not officially part of the men's League of Ireland which is currently made up of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division and the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division
  2. ↑ "FAI outline details of new league, invite expressions of interest". The 42. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 "FAI National League to feature at least 15 clubs". RTÉ Sport. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "FAI National League moves closer as format is confirmed". RTÉ Sport. 20 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "FAI confirms new National League format". Extra.ie. 20 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "2026 FAI National League format confirmed". FAI. 20 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.
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