The Connacht Senior Football Championship, known simply as the Connacht Championship and shortened to Connacht SFC, is an annual Gaelic football competition for the senior county teams of Connacht GAA. All of the county teams of Connacht participate in the championship, as well as London and New York. The winning team receives the Nestor Cup.
The Connacht SFC is run on a knock-out basis through which teams are eliminated from the competition. A series of games are played during the summer months and the final is played in June or July. The winner and runner-up progresses directly to the All-Ireland SFC Group Stage. Before 2020, all losing teams progressed to the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers, while, prior to 2001, the All-Ireland SFC was a straight knock-out format, which meant all losing teams were eliminated after a single defeat.
Roscommon defeated the reigning champions Galway on a scoreline of 3–21 to 2–22 in the 2026 final at Dr. Hyde Park.
History Galway are Connacht's most successful county, with 51 Connacht SFC titles and 9 All-Ireland SFC titles. Mayo are next, with 47 Connacht SFC titles and 3 All-Ireland SFC titles. Roscommon have won the Connacht SFC title 25 times, most recently in 2026, as well having won 2 All-Ireland SFC titles. Apart from those three, no other team competing in Connacht has won an All-Ireland SFC title.
Sligo have won the Nestor Cup three times, most recently in 2007. Leitrim have won the competition twice, most recently in 1994.
London have competed in the Connacht SFC since 1975, while New York joined in 1999. In this time London have managed three victories: one in 1977 and two in 2013, against Sligo and Leitrim. New York recorded their first, and, so far, only, victory in the championship over Leitrim in 2023.
The competing counties play for the JJ Nestor Cup, which is presented to the winning captain on Connacht Final Day.
Connacht SFC moments Leitrim 0–12 – 2–4 Mayo (24 July 1994): Sligo 1–10 – 0–12 Galway (8 July 2007): Mayo 5–11 – 0–10 London (21 July 2013): New York 0–15 pen – 0–15 Leitrim (8 April 2023):
Teams 2026 Championship Seven counties will compete in the 2026 Connacht Senior Football Championship: the five counties in the Irish province of Connacht and the two foreign-based teams of London and New York. County team Location Stadium Province GalwayPearse StadiumConnachtWinner51202592001 Carrick-on-ShannonPáirc Seán Mac DiarmadaConnachtSemi-finalist219940 South RuislipMcGovern ParkBritainQuarter-finalist00 CastlebarMacHale ParkConnachtFinalist47202132026 BronxGaelic ParkNorth AmericaQuarter-finalist00 RoscommonDr Hyde ParkConnachtSemi-finalist24202621944 SligoMarkievicz ParkConnachtQuarter-finalist320070
List of teams The following teams have competed in the Connacht SFC for at least one season. TeamApp.DebutMost recentConnacht SFC titlesLast Connacht SFC titleBest Connacht SFC result—19002025512025 Winner—1906202521994 Winner—197520250— Runner-up—19012025472021 Winner25199920250— Semi-finalist—19012025242019 Winner—1905202532007 Winner
Personnel and kits County teamManagerCaptain(s)Sponsors Pádraic JoyceJohn MaherSupermac's Steven Poacher Ryan O'Rourke Gallagher Group Michael MaherLiam GallagherClayton Hotel Andy MoranJack CoyneIntersport Elverys Ronan McGinleyRob WhartonNavillus Mark DowdDiarmuid MurtaghBallymore Eamonn O'HaraDessie SloyanNiall MurphyCanice MulliganAbbVie
List of finals Legend All-Ireland SFC winnerAll-Ireland SFC runner-up
List of Connacht SFC finals YearDateWinnerRunner-upVenueWinning captainWinning marginRefereeAttendanceCounty teamScoreCounty teamScore 1900 1901 9 November 1902 2-04 0-03 Claremorris 7 1902 1903 23 April 1905 1-02 0-04 Claremorris 1 1904 23 April 1905 3-06 0-01 Claremorris 14 1905 27 May 1906 0-07 0-05 Tuam 2 1906 7 April 1907 2-13 0-05 Claremorris 14 1907 26 May 1908 3-09 0-01 Tuam 17 1908 31 January 1909 2-05 0-04 Tuam 7 1909 30 October 1910 1-04 0-03 Ballina 4 1910 6 November 1-03 1-02 Athlone 2 1911 24 September won scr Claremorris 1912 15 September 0-02 0-00 Castlerea 2 1913 28 September 1-02 0-03 Castlerea 2 1914 17 October 1915 1-02 0-01 Boyle 4 1915 26 September 3-01 1-03 Castlerea 1 1916 1 October 1-05 0-03 Castlerea 5 1917 7 October 1-04 1-01 Castlerea 4 1918 22 September 0-04 0-01 Castlerea 3 1919 3 August 1-06 0-05 Tuam 4 1920 22 August 2-03 1-04 Castlerea 2 1921 25 March 1923 1-04 0-01 Castlerea 7 1922 2 September 192330 September 1923 1-072-04 * 3-022-02 TuamCroke Park 2 1923 4 May 1924 0-03 0-02 Tuam 1 1924 19 October9 November 0-012-06 (R) 0-010-05 (R) BallaTuam 7 1925 18 October 1-05 1-03 Tuam 2 1926 11 July 3-02 1-02 Roscommon 6 1927 7 August 2-04 0-03 Roscommon 7 1928 5 August 1-04 0-06 Tuam 1 1929 21 July 1-06 0-04 Roscommon 5 1930 10 August 1-07 1-02 Tuam 5 1931 9 August 2-10 3-02 Sligo 8 1932 7 August 2-06 0-07 Tuam 5 1933 23 July 1-07 1-05 Castlerea Michael Donnellan 2 1934 22 July 2-04 0-05 Castlerea Michael Higgins 5 1935 21 July 0-12 0-05 Roscommon 7 1936 19 July2 August 2-042-07 (R) 1-071-04 (R) St. Coman's Park Séamus O'Malley 6 1937 18 July 3-05 0-08 St. Coman's Park 6 1938 17 July 0-08 0-05 St. Coman's Park John "Tull" Dunne 3 1939 16 July 2-06 * 0-03 St. Coman's Park 9 1940 21 July 1-07 0-05 St. Coman's Park John "Tull" Dunne 5 1941 20 July 0-08 1-04 St. Coman's Park Dinny O'Sullivan 1 1942 19 July 2-06 3-02 Ballinasloe Charlie Connolly 4 1943 18 July 2-06 0-08 St. Coman's Park Jimmy Murray 6 1944 6 August 2-11 1-06 Tuam Jimmy Murray 8 1945 22 July 2-06 1-07 St. Coman's Park 2 1946 21 July11 August 1-041-09* 0-061-02 St. Coman's Park Jimmy Murray 7 1947 20 July 2-12 1-08 Ballina 7 1948 18 July25 July 2-042-10 (R) 1-072-07 (R) St. Coman's Park John Forde 3 1949 31 July 4-06 0-03 St. Coman's Park 15 1950 16 July 1-07 0-04 St Jarlath's Park Seán Flanagan 6 1951 15 July 4-13 2-03 St Jarlath's Park Seán Flanagan 14 1952 13 July 3-05 0-06 MacHale Park 8 1953 19 July 1-06 0-06 St. Coman's Park 3 1954 18 July 2-10 3-04 St Jarlath's Park 3 1955 17 July 3-11 1-03 St Jarlath's Park 1418,500 1956 15 July 3-12 1-05 Markievicz Park Jack Mangan 14P Carroll (Offaly)13,000 1957 14 July 4-08 0-04 Pearse Stadium 2013,000 1958 13 July 2-10 1-11 St. Coman's Park 212,000 1959 9 August 5-08 0-12 Markievicz Park Seán Purcell 918,000 1960 10 July 2-05 0-05 Markievicz Park 6 7,500 1961 9 July 1-11 2-07 MacHale Park 119,876 1962 22 July 3-07 2-09 MacHale Park Gerry O'Malley 120,000 1963 14 July 4-11 1-08 MacHale Park Mick Garrett 1220,000 1964 19 July 2-12 1-05 St Jarlath's Park John Donnellan 1035,000 1965 1 August 1-12 2-06 St Jarlath's Park Enda Colleran 330,000 1966 17 July 0-12 1-08 MacHale Park Enda Colleran 1 J Martin (Tyrone)28,000 1967 16 July 4-15 0-07 St Jarlath's Park 20 J Hatton (Wicklow) 1968 21 July 2-10 2-09 MacHale Park 1 P Kelly (Dublin) 30,000 1969 20 July3 August 0–111-11 (14) 1-081-08 (11) Pearse StadiumMacHale Park 3 L Maguire (Cavan)J Moloney (Tipperary) 25,000 1970 12 July 2-15 (21) 1-08 (11) Pearse Stadium 10 Mick Loftus (Mayo) 11,500 1971 11 July25 July 2–151-17 (R) 2–153-10 (R) MacHale Park Liam Sammon 1 J Martin (Roscommon) 19,76420,000 (R) 1972 16 July 5-8 3-10 MacHale Park 4 1973 8 July 1-17 2-12 MacHale Park Liam Sammon 2 P Devlin (Tyrone) 30,000 1974 14 July 2-14 0-08 Pearse Stadium Gay Mitchell 12 Mick Loftus (Mayo) 25,000 1975 6 July20 July 2–102-10 (R) 1–130-15 (R) Markievicz ParkMacHale Park Barnes Murphy 1 T Moran (Leitrim) 1976 4 July18 July 1-081-14 (R) 1-80-9 (R) MacHale ParkSt Jarlath's Park 5 Mick Loftus (Mayo) 18,00016,000 1977 10 July 1-12 2-08 Dr Hyde Park 14 T Moran (Leitrim) 18,000 1978 9 July 2-07 0-09 Pearse Stadium 4 PJ McGrath (Mayo) 17,000 1979 15 July 3-15 2-10 MacHale Park 9 P Gorman (Sligo) 23,700 1980 13 July 3-13 0-08 Dr Hyde Park Danny Murray 14 Mickey Kearins (Sligo) 17,880 1981 12 July 0-12 0-04 MacHale Park 8 T Cunningham (Galway) 1982 11 July 3-17 0-10 St Jarlath's Park Gay McManus 16 P Gorman (Sligo) 18,000 1983 17 July 1-13 1-10 MacHale Park Séamus McHugh 3 S Mullaney (Roscommon) 18,000 1984 8 July 2-13 2-09 Pearse Stadium Séamus McHugh 4 Mickey Kearins (Sligo) 17,560 1985 14 July 2-11 0-08 Dr Hyde Park 9 Mickey Kearins (Sligo) 18,000 1986 13 July 1-08 1-05 Dr Hyde Park Tomás Tierney 3 P Gorman (Sligo) 13,000 1987 12 July 0-08 0-07 MacHale Park Val Daly 1 S Prior (Leitrim) 25,000 1988 24 July 1-12 0-08 Dr Hyde Park Dermot Flanagan 7 Mickey Kearins (Sligo) 20,000 1989 23 July30 July 0–123-14 (R) 1-092-13 (R) MacHale ParkDr Hyde Park Jimmy Browne 4 Mickey Kearins (Sligo) 20,000 1990 22 July 0-16 1-11 Dr Hyde Park Paul Earley 2 18,000 1991 14 July28 July 0–140-13 (R) 0–141-09 (R) MacHale ParkDr Hyde Park John Newton 1 P Egan (Galway) 25,00024,000 (R) 1992 26 July 1-14 0-10 MacHale Park Peter Ford 7 S Prior (Leitrim) 30,000 1993 25 July 1-05 0-07 Dr Hyde Park Kevin Beirne 1 M Curley (Galway) 26,000 1994 24 July 0-12 2-04 Dr Hyde Park Declan Darcy 2 M Curley (Galway) 18,271 1995 23 July 0-17 1-07 St Jarlath's Park Jarlath Fallon 7 F Finan (Sligo) 17,000 1996 21 July 3-09 1-11 MacHale Park Noel Connelly 4 F Finan (Sligo) 1997 3 August 0-11 1-07 Dr Hyde Park Noel Connelly 1 M Curley (Galway) 22,000 1998 19 July1 August 0–111-17 (R) 0–110-17 (R) St Jarlath's ParkDr Hyde Park Ray Silke 3 S Prior (Leitrim) 25,00030,000 (R) 1999 18 July 1-14 1-10 St Jarlath's Park Kenneth Mortimer 4 Brian White (Wexford) 31,000 2000 30 July 1-13 0-08 Dr Hyde Park Pádraic Joyce 8 B Crowe (Cavan) 28,000 2001 1 July 2-10 1-12 Dr Hyde Park Fergal O'Donnell 1 S McCormack (Meath) 28,000 2002 30 June 1-11 0-11 MacHale Park Pádraic Joyce 3 J McKee (Armagh) 14,000 2003 6 July 1-14 0-13 Pearse Stadium Kevin Walsh 4 M Monahan (Kildare) 2004 18 July 2-13 0-09 MacHale Park Fergal Costello 10 B White (Wexford) 34,790 2005 10 July 0-10 0-08 Pearse Stadium Pádraic Joyce 2 J. Gainey 29,711 2006 16 July 0-12 1-08 MacHale Park David Heaney 1 P. Russell (Tipperary) 34,613 2007 8 July 1-10 0-12 Dr Hyde Park Noel McGuire 1 11,317 2008 13 July 2-12 1-14 MacHale Park Pádraic Joyce 1 David Coldrick (Meath) 31,789 2009 19 July 2-12 1-14 Pearse Stadium Trevor Mortimer 1 25,627 2010 18 July 0-14 0-13 MacHale Park Peter Domican 1 Jimmy White (Donegal) 25,300 2011 17 July 0-13 0-11 Dr Hyde Park Alan Dillon 2 Michael Collins (Cork) 25,609 2012 15 July 0-12 0-10 Dr Hyde Park Andy Moran 2 Cormac Reilly (Meath) 23,257 2013 21 July 5-11 0-10 MacHale Park Andy Moran 16 Conor Lane (Cork) 21,274 2014 13 July 3-14 0-16 MacHale Park Andy Moran 7 Rory Hickey (Clare) 26,738 2015 19 July 6-25 2-11 Dr Hyde Park Keith Higgins 26 Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry) 23,196 2016 10 July17 July 0–133-16 (R) 1–100-14(R) Pearse StadiumMacHale Park Gary O'Donnell 11 (R) Ciaran Branagan (Down) 24,32415,960 (R) 2017 9 July 2-15 0-12 Pearse Stadium Ciarán Murtagh 9 David Gough (Meath) 18,287 2018 17 June 0-16 2-06 Dr Hyde Park Damien Comer 4 David Coldrick (Meath) 18,864 2019 16 June 1-13 0-12 Pearse Stadium Enda Smith 4 Barry Cassidy (Derry) 17,639 2020 15 November 0-14 0-13 Pearse Stadium Aidan O'Shea 1 Sean Hurson (Tyrone) 0 2021 25 July 2-14 2-08 Croke Park Aidan O'Shea 6 Conor Lane (Cork) 18,000 2022 29 May 2-19 2-16 Pearse Stadium Seán Kelly 3 Joe McQuillan (Cavan) 21,419 2023 7 May 2-20 0-12 MacHale Park Seán Kelly 14 Brendan Cawley (Kildare) 11,867 2024 5 May 0-16 0-15 Pearse Stadium Seán Kelly 1 David Gough (Meath) 19,193 2025 4 May 1–17 1–15 MacHale Park Seán Kelly 2 Paddy Neilan (Roscommon) 27,137 2026 10 May 3-21 2-22 Dr Hyde Park Diarmuid Murtagh 2 Sean Hurson (Tyrone) 22,799
Notes 1888–1891: No Connacht representative in All-Ireland series 1892: represented the province 1893–1899: No Connacht representative in All-Ireland series 1900: unopposed 1902: unopposed 1922: Objection – refixed 1939: Game unfinished – awarded to 1934: withdrew until 1941. 1938: until 1940. 1946: Objection and counter-objection – replay ordered 1950: withdrew until 1952. 1975: join the championship. 1999: join the championship. 2001: withdrew due to Foot and Mouth disease.