National Forum

Football Format Changes Discussion

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Replying To inthru:  "Championship games should not be week on week. These fellas are all working and have lives and families. There should be a minimum of 2 weeks between every game and ideally it is 3 weeks between them all. Also feel that championship week on week devalues what championship is really about a small bit.

The break between players is for the players benefit most of all but then also supporters. It is a very tall order for families to expect to be able to bring children to games all the time. I see Armagh had 7 games in 11 weeks, that is tight going on people and serious consideration should be given to the long term impact of this.

Talk of condensed seasons and tight timescales is a handy excuse to stop the powers that be properly looking at the issue. Scheduling is not a problem that is fundamentally difficult to resolve.

Then outside of scheduling there is the other issue in terms of venue. In the current system, provincial finalists should get home advantage for round 1 but then round 2 and round 3 have to be Neutral venue. No other way of doing it is fair."
The push will come from the GPA for the league to be reduced to 6 rounds. That should end 3 consecutive weekends during league and championship.
Regards Round 2 - there is likely to be a push to give provincial winners home advantage in Round 2. I'm not a fan of neutral venues. 2A losers should have home advantage in R3 IMO, similar to group runners up in the previous format. If the majority vote for neutral venue R3, so be it.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9876 - 24/06/2026 14:09:35    2681695

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Replying To Kickitout:  "I definitely think the all Ireland needs to be pushed back 2 weeks min at end of day by mid July there would only be 4 teams left ,I hear lots on about the club players lots of club players in America or Canada now as all club championship don't start before Aug and after this weekend they only be 4 teams left in championship at end June a bit ridiculous in my opinion I know in Galway majority of club league matches done since last weekend just Div finals so in reality from mid June to first week in Aug no fixtures so I'd say there a 6 werk window there for players sort out hols again only my opinion but inter county way 2 crammed no matter what we say inter county is where the crowds go 2 see I know in club matches be a struggle get 4-5 hundred at club game bar semi final or final very few neturals go early round club matches usually just few hundred for both clubs"
Yes there's not a lot wrong with current layout but pushing to middle of August makes great sense and gives championship two more weeks to breathe at least. Last week was ridiculous with four quarters, two hurling quarters and two semi finals all clashing into each other and reducing eyeballs, interest and narrative.

Also the first couple of weeks of August are a sporting black hole with no soccer, rugby, golf majors or any real important sport for GAA to have shop window to themselves.

With the three round 3 winners all the home side, Jarlath has flagged neutral venues for round 3. Id disagree. Local provincial towns are best for driving up audiences.

Round 1 should be provincial teams at home
Round 2 and 3 should be the higher ranked team in the league gets home field advantage. This will mean teams will have to push forward with the league and give added incentive for early progress.

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 498 - 24/06/2026 15:05:34    2681703

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Has Sligo not got Club Leagues?????"
They do but the club players start training in Jan or early Feb and the season for those who progress to latter stages is 8-9 months long. Almost all clubs clubs play their league games without county players anyway so the split season is doing nothing for club players or especially clubs with a few players on the county and I know of clubs struggling for survival in div 1 because of this . I know the split season was brought in for the county players but they still miss the club league games and club championships finishing up sometimes in November.

Dothesimplethingswell (Sligo) - Posts: 90 - 24/06/2026 16:58:55    2681719

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Now i am not agreeing with everything my Mayo friend is saying. I mostly disagree with his posts. I have one question for you.

Tell me where there's a club player who has no games for a long period of time? As you have stated?"
Well ok I hold my hands up there I didnt mean no games for months but what I should have said was the length of the club season..Starting training in Jan Feb, leagues begin in March big gap before championship starts and in most counties county finals played in November..Its insanity the county champions playing in the worst of weather in November and December and some clubs have even played 1st round of club championship the day after county final.. Im not sure what % of players are county players but what was intended to serve them well deprives them of club league football and wrings lads out expecting them to play championship games 3 weekends in a row. Dara o Shea mentions this in his article yesterday as have some intercounty managers also. Meanwhile the club player starts in Jan / Feb and trudges on in some cases to November.

Dothesimplethingswell (Sligo) - Posts: 90 - 24/06/2026 17:07:21    2681720

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