THE current group system in the Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup competitions could be scrapped after this season in favour of a more streamlined competition.
GAA Director General Tom Ryan outlined a proposed structure for the 2026 season and beyond which is designed to introduce more “jeopardy” and minimise meaningless, one-sided fixtures.
The proposal for the 2026 season - which resembles the Down county championship - is as follows:
The Sam Maguire Cup comprises 16 teams – eight provincial finalists and eight highest League finishers.
The former play one game against one of the latter at home.
The winners of this and the subsequent round progress to four of the quarter-final spots.
The losers enter the other side of the draw and play-off on a backdoor route which will produce the other four quarter-finalists.
From there on the competition is straight knockout.
The Tailteann Cup will have the same structure.
Ryan also intimated that the All-Ireland finals won’t return to September but said that extending the season until later in the year would be “no bad thing” from 2026 onwards.
He added that the National League could start in January and that the Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy Cup finals could be pushed by a couple of weeks to allow for breaks for players as well as officials and support staff.
“Congress is also asked to consider reintroducing replays for drawn provincial finals,” said Ryan.
“And to dispense with extra-time after a drawn All-Ireland final. Instead, we will go straight to a replay.
“I know that opinions are still divided on the summer All-Ireland final dates. They make for a congested season and a very pressurised seven months for players and officials. Perhaps our media profile and even attendances are curtailed as well.
“There is a gathering mood to shuffle the (All-Ireland) finals back by a week or two and that may well transpire in the future… But I don’t foresee a return to September.”
