HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

National Forum

New Format 2026 All Ireland

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post

You need to Login to Post

@tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1412 - 27/05/2025 Plenty of gymnastics, but I suppose it works with plenty of good matchups, despite the same lack of jeopardy argument. Trying to out-do me for complexity :) omahant (USA) - Posts: 3261 - 27/05/2025 16:07:56 2613083 Link
Replying To trimmer: "I honestly think a special congress is needed to reverse the implementation of next years format and keep what we have. The new format wont solve any of the issues people complain about. The current format offers a guaranteed number of games, guaranteed home game, offers relevance to provincial championships and leagues and is tiered. Its the best all round compromise format and none of the format ideas in here will ever see the light of day in Congress. We've had great games so far, upsets and mostly full county grounds." The format isn't driving the great games this year - it's the teams competing. If those games played under the 2026 format, they'd still be great. The advantage to next year's format is streamlining - we get to a KO 12 after each team is guaranteed two games, in lieu of the three this year - a week saved for a limited commodity called "rest". omahant (USA) - Posts: 3261 - 28/05/2025 02:58:17 2613182 Link
If this year's fixtures happened to be Round 1 in next year's format, Rounds 2A and 2B could be as follows: ROUND 2A (Home advantage by luck of the draw.) Kerry v Meath Dublin v Armagh Monaghan v Down Cavan v Tyrone ROUND 2B (I'll juggle up these as it will be a random draw. Not a direct Roscommon lost to Kerry will play Cork who lost to Meath. Home advantage by luck of the draw.) Galway v Donegal Roscommon - 2 losses v Clare - 2 losses Cork - 2 losses v Derry - 2 losses Mayo - 2 losses v Louth Roscommon, Clare, Cork, Derry or Mayo will be knocked out if they lose a third game. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8858 - 28/05/2025 07:04:13 2613185 Link
I see Keyes in the Independent saying the GAA might be regretting dumping the current system. Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2350 - 28/05/2025 09:24:47 2613203 Link
If you wanted an All Ireland with 2 guaranteed games 1 home and 1 away you could go with the following. Every team plays those 2 games and all 16 teams are in the pool for both rounds. Games are played to a winner, so extra time and penalties if needed. If a team wins both their games they are through to the quarters, if they win 1 they go to the preliminary quarterfinals (could be anywhere from 0 to 8 of them needed), if they lose both they are eliminated. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4545 - 28/05/2025 09:28:33 2613205 Link
Colm Keys is reporting that the free weekend created by the 2026 format will be used to create a weekend off after the league finals. The bonkers part expected by Croke Park, not reported by Colm Key, is that they might have the Round 1 draw again before the finals!: Munster winner v Derry Munster runner up v Down Connacht winner v Dublin Connacht runner up v Cavan Ulster winner v Tyrone Ulster runner up v Roscommon Leinster winner v Monaghan Leinster runner up v Cork If something like this happens to be the draw, the reward for winning will be a tougher Round 1 game! A perfect start for sure for the new format. I'm sure there will be no negative articles or negative podcasts about that!! legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8858 - 28/05/2025 09:37:53 2613207 Link
Replying To Seanfanbocht: "I see Keyes in the Independent saying the GAA might be regretting dumping the current system." The extra free weekend is needed. Whether scrapping the group stage is the right approach is debatable. Mayo or butter? Beef or salmon? Tea or coffee? Groups of 4 with 2 advancing or double eliminator? legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8858 - 28/05/2025 09:56:30 2613209 Link
Replying To Seanfanbocht: "I see Keyes in the Independent saying the GAA might be regretting dumping the current system." Hallelujah. Special Congress please. trimmer (Meath) - Posts: 540 - 28/05/2025 10:19:10 2613212 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "If you wanted an All Ireland with 2 guaranteed games 1 home and 1 away you could go with the following. Every team plays those 2 games and all 16 teams are in the pool for both rounds. Games are played to a winner, so extra time and penalties if needed. If a team wins both their games they are through to the quarters, if they win 1 they go to the preliminary quarterfinals (could be anywhere from 0 to 8 of them needed), if they lose both they are eliminated." Could have a 'Rd of 16' as everyone's 3rd match - maybe a bit more exciting in lieu of the actual 'fixed 4 byes' omahant (USA) - Posts: 3261 - 28/05/2025 13:25:50 2613237 Link
Replying To trimmer: "Hallelujah. Special Congress please." We have the perfect system. Jeopardy in every game for different reasons, and very few dead rubbers.. Just need to find a couple of more weekends. Could push the All Ireland final back one week without any major ramifications. With no pre-season competitions, start a week earlier. ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 560 - 28/05/2025 13:33:00 2613242 Link
Replying To ORIELMAN85: "We have the perfect system. Jeopardy in every game for different reasons, and very few dead rubbers.. Just need to find a couple of more weekends. Could push the All Ireland final back one week without any major ramifications. With no pre-season competitions, start a week earlier." Exactly. The 4x4 group stage followed by knock outs is a proven concept across many sports. No need to change to anything else. To up the stakes a bit more in the groups a small tweak of 2 teams progressing would work but I'm happy with the 3 as it is. And yes the gap between league and provincials easily is solved by starting league earlier or some other tweak. This ripping up of a workable format for some other convoluted mess doesn't reflect well. trimmer (Meath) - Posts: 540 - 28/05/2025 14:09:09 2613246 Link
Replying To ORIELMAN85: "We have the perfect system. Jeopardy in every game for different reasons, and very few dead rubbers.. Just need to find a couple of more weekends. Could push the All Ireland final back one week without any major ramifications. With no pre-season competitions, start a week earlier." County championships are limited to 16 teams. The All Ireland 16 being completed in 6 rounds will be a good example from Croke Park to set for all county championships. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8858 - 28/05/2025 14:25:03 2613252 Link
I don't understand how someone can say we have a perfect system at present. You all weight avoiding dead rubbers too highly. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4545 - 28/05/2025 17:33:52 2613297 Link
I also don't understand the logic in let's play off our cornerstone competitions in a maximum of 6 rounds and let's faff around with leagues that no one properly cares about the rest of the time. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4545 - 28/05/2025 17:38:12 2613299 Link
Replying To trimmer: "Exactly. The 4x4 group stage followed by knock outs is a proven concept across many sports. No need to change to anything else. To up the stakes a bit more in the groups a small tweak of 2 teams progressing would work but I'm happy with the 3 as it is. And yes the gap between league and provincials easily is solved by starting league earlier or some other tweak. This ripping up of a workable format for some other convoluted mess doesn't reflect well." Many of the reasons that 4x4 is used in other sporting competitions aren't applicable for amateur sports. SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 461 - 28/05/2025 17:59:24 2613304 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "I also don't understand the logic in let's play off our cornerstone competitions in a maximum of 6 rounds and let's faff around with leagues that no one properly cares about the rest of the time." The GPA and the players are big fans of the league. So much so they wanted it linked to championship. Burns says the league is there for incremental improvement. The championship should be a blunt instrument with highs and lows. If Mayo v Donegal is in Round 2B next year, the loser is out. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8858 - 28/05/2025 19:25:41 2613320 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "The GPA and the players are big fans of the league. So much so they wanted it linked to championship. Burns says the league is there for incremental improvement. The championship should be a blunt instrument with highs and lows. If Mayo v Donegal is in Round 2B next year, the loser is out." You know that those are opposing views that you are conflating. I agree with the players the league should be the championship. It would need a bit of modification from 4 divisions of 8 but it wouldn't lose what makes the league special, teams playing week in week out against teams around their level with the games all impacting each other. Championships on the line for the strong performers, relegation on the line for weaker performers. If ever there was a tried and trusted method for running a National Championship across sports that is it. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4545 - 28/05/2025 20:20:24 2613326 Link
You know something else that annoys me. We can't do this, we can't do that. The Provincials will never be decoupled from the All Ireland. Well no, I don't think that necessarily has to be the case. There was a majority of delegates that voted in favour of the league becoming the championship and the Provincials being stand alone. The UK removed themselves from the European Union on a narrower majority. I get why there's a super majority needed for change but I don't understand how that proposal wasn't actually reworked to make it more feasible, that would have been the logical step to take after a narrow lose. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4545 - 28/05/2025 20:30:28 2613329 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "County championships are limited to 16 teams. The All Ireland 16 being completed in 6 rounds will be a good example from Croke Park to set for all county championships." I second this! omahant (USA) - Posts: 3261 - 28/05/2025 20:30:42 2613330 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "I also don't understand the logic in let's play off our cornerstone competitions in a maximum of 6 rounds and let's faff around with leagues that no one properly cares about the rest of the time." It depends on what's meant by those 6 rounds - as a season concluding tournament (AIC), it's wonderful - but obviously, something appropriate has to proceed it (a league-style season). omahant (USA) - Posts: 3261 - 28/05/2025 20:35:41 2613331 Link