The 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, is the 42nd season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985.
The competition began on 6 February 2026 and is set to conclude on 30 October 2026.
Shamrock Rovers are the defending champions, having won their 10th Premier Division title the previous season.
Teams The league consists of ten teams – the top nine teams from the previous season and one team promoted as champions from the First Division, Dundalk. They replaced Cork City who were relegated after a single season in the top flight. Stadiums and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians Dublin Dalymount Park 4,500 Dublin Aviva Stadium 51,711 Derry City Derry Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium 6,242 Celtic Park18,500 Drogheda United Drogheda Sullivan and Lambe Park 3,500 Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park 4,500 Galway United Galway Eamonn Deacy Park 5,000 Galway (Salthill) Pearse Stadium 26,197 Cork Turners Cross 7,485 Shamrock Rovers Dublin Tallaght Stadium 10,500 Shelbourne Dublin Tolka Park 6,450 Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds 3,873 St Patrick's Athletic Dublin Richmond Park 5,500 Waterford Waterford RSC 5,160
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorBohemians Alan Reynolds Dawson DevoyO'NeillsDes Kelly InteriorsKneecapMassive AttackDerry City Mark Connolly (interim) Michael DuffyO'NeillsDiamond CorrugatedDrogheda United Kevin Doherty Ryan BrennanMacronNoFo Brew CoDundalk Ciarán Kilduff Daryl Horgan Macron ZOMAGalway United John Caulfield Jimmy KeohaneO'NeillsComer Property ManagementShamrock Rovers Stephen Bradley Roberto LopesMacronMASCOT WorkwearShelbourne John Russell Paddy BarrettO'NeillsChadwicksSligo Rovers Darren Purse Carl McHughUmbroAvant MoneySt Patrick's Athletic Stephen Kenny Joe RedmondUmbroCluneElliott GroupThe Wolfe TonesWaterford Graham Coughlan Pádraig AmondPumaWhiteBox
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in the tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentWaterford Matt Lawlor (interim)End of interim spell16 November 2025Pre-season Jon Daly16 November 2025 Jon DalySacked2 May 202610th Brian Murphy (interim)2 May 2026 Brian Murphy (interim)End of interim spell6 May 202610th Graham Coughlan6 May 2026Shelbourne Joey O'BrienSacked25 June 20265th Lorcan Fitzgerald (interim)25 June 2026 Lorcan Fitzgerald (interim)End of interim spell13 July 20265th John Russell13 July 2026Sligo Rovers John RussellCompensated by Shelbourne13 July 202610th Ryan Casey (interim)13 July 2026 Ryan Casey (interim)Departed to join Shelbourne21 July 202610th Declan Boyle (interim)21 July 2026 Declan Boyle (interim)End of interim spell24 July 202610th Darren Purse24 July 2026Derry City Tiernan LynchSacked5 August 2026https://www.derrycityfc.net/2026/08/derry-city-club-statement-tiernan-lynch/6th Mark Connolly (interim)5 August 2026https://www.derrycityfc.net/2026/08/derry-city-club-statement-tiernan-lynch/
League table Standings
Results Teams play each other four times (twice at home and twice away).
Positions by round
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals 1 Tommy LonerganWaterford 14 (6 pens) 2 Colm WhelanBohemians 13 (7 pens)3 Daryl HorganDundalk11 (4 pens) Michael DuffyDerry City5 Ryan EdmondsonSt Patrick's Athletic10 Pádraig AmondWaterford Ross TierneyBohemians Aidan KeenaSt Patrick's Athletic 10 (3 pens)9 Mark DoyleDrogheda United 9 (1 pen) Harry WoodShelbourne 9 (3 pens)11 Kris TwardekGalway United 8 Graham BurkeShamrock Rovers 8 (2 pens)13 John McGovernShamrock Rovers7 Michael NoonanShamrock Rovers Gbemi ArubiDundalk 7 (2 pens)16 Kian LeavySt Patrick's Athletic6 Adam O'ReillyDerry City Cian KavanaghSligo Rovers Stephen WalshGalway United Daniel KellyShelbourne John MartinShelbourne James ClarkeDerry City Douglas James-TaylorBohemians 6 (1 pen)
Hat-tricks PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef. Colm WhelanBohemiansSligo Rovers4–0 (A)14 February 2026 Michael DuffyDerry CityWaterford4–2 (H)27 February 2026 Pádraig AmondWaterfordSligo Rovers4–0 (H)12 June 2026
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets 1 Edward McGintyShamrock Rovers 11 2 Joseph AnangSt Patrick's Athletic 103 Luke DennisonDrogheda United7 Eddie BeachDerry City/Shelbourne Kacper ChorążkaBohemians6 Stephen McMullanWaterford6 Sam SargeantSligo Rovers8 Wessel SpeelShelbourne59 Paul WaltersBohemians4 Enda MinogueDundalk11 Danny RogersSt Patrick's Athletic312 Tom NorcottDerry City2 Hugo CunhaGalway United Fynn TalleyDrogheda United15 Brian MaherDerry City1 Evan WattsGalway United
Discipline Player Most yellow cards: 10 Dawson Devoy (Bohemians) Shane Farrell (Drogheda United) Keith Buckley (Dundalk)
Most red cards: 2 Pico Lopes (Shamrock Rovers)
Club Most yellow cards: 96 Shelbourne
Most red cards: 7 Dundalk
Awards Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthGoal of the MonthReferencesPlayerClubPlayerClubFebruary Michael DuffyDerry City Eoin KennyDundalkMarch Patrick HickeyBohemians Jack Henry-FrancisShelbourneApril Will FitzgeraldSligo Rovers Stephen WalshGalway United
See also 2026 League of Ireland First Division 2026 League of Ireland Women's Premier Division 2026 FAI National League 2026 FAI Cup
Notes
References