The 2026 FAI National League, is the first (inaugural) season of the FAI National League, largely operating as the third tier Irish league for association football clubs. It is the first third tier season overseen by the Football Association of Ireland since the end of the A Championship in 2011.
Format The first season of the FAI National League is due to be a truncated season, running from August to November, to assist in getting the newly added clubs in sync with the broader League of Ireland (LOI) schedule, as typically their seasons wouldn’t use the same calendar as the LOI. This also means that there will be no promotion to the First Division available in the league's first season.
The 2026 format consists of 15 teams split up into 3 groups of 5. Each team plays the other teams in its group twice, home and away, for a total of 8 group games.
The 3 group winners as well as the best performing second-placed side are due to enter into a semi-final and then final at neutral venues, to crown the first ever FAI National League Champions.
It was originally planned for there to be 20 teams which would be split into North and South leagues with 10 teams each. This is still planned to go ahead from the 2027 season onwards.
Teams Group 1
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bonagee United Letterkenny Dry Arch Park Cockhill Celtic Buncrana Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds 1,000 Home Farm Whitehall, Dublin Whitehall Stadium 1,800 Lucan United Lucan Westmanstown Road Mervue United Galway Fahy's Field
Group 2
Team Location Stadium Capacity Letterkenny Rovers Letterkenny Leckview Park 1,000 Mayo FC Castlebar Umbro Park 1,500 Salthill Devon Knocknacarra Drom Soccer Park 2,000 St Francis Baldonnel John Hyland Park TU Dublin Blanchardstown TU Dublin Blanchardstown
Group 3
Team Location Stadium Capacity CK United Carlow SETU Sports Campus Killarney Celtic Killarney Celtic Park Newbridge Town Newbridge Station Road 2,180 UCC Cork The Mardyke 800 Villa Waterford workLAB Connors Park
Personnel and kits TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsorBonagee United Declan Lynch Gareth HarkinJomaLurgyback Open FarmCK United Tom O'Connor Emmet NugentDSsportsSquare Root SolutionsCockhill Celtic Gavin Cullen Lee McColganO'ReillysHML Plant SalesHome Farm Gavin Peers Daithi FolanUmbroIntersport ElverysKillarney Celtic Tim Jones Matt KeaneJomaSeefin AviatonsLetterkenny Rovers Stephen McConnell Gareth DohertyAdidasDonnelly & FoleyLucan United Darius Kierans Sean QuinnUhlsportDHLMayo FC Anthony O'Neill Noe BabaUmbroIntersport ElverysMervue United Brendan O'Connor Liam MurrayO'NeillsSeapoint LeisureNewbridge Town Martin Russell Nathan McAuleyO'NeillsN/ASalthill Devon Greg Cunningham Callum CroweUmbroThe Dough BrosSt Francis Kevin Smith Seamus CurleyMacronPJ Duffy & SonsTU Dublin Jamie Moore Matthew O'BrienO'NeillsN/AUCC David Moore Daniel McCarthyMacronBank of IrelandVilla Conor Coad Luke WalshJomaworkLAB
Standings Group 1
Results Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).
Group 2
Results Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).
Group 3
Results Teams play each other twice (once at home and once away).
Ranking of 2nd placed teams
Play-offs
Bracket
Semi-final 1
Semi-final 2
Final
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Calum FlynnVilla52 Zach GormanLetterkenny Rovers4 Conor KilgannonVilla3 Ben McDonnellSalthill Devon3 Timmy Molloy Donnacha McNamaraMervue United Gavin Smyth Patrick AbakoHome Farm Conor WhittleVilla924 players2
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Calum FlynnVillaCK United3–3 (A)19 September 2026 Zach GormanLetterkenny RoversTU Dublin6–3 (H)26 September 2026
See also 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division 2026 League of Ireland First Division 2026 League of Ireland Women's Premier Division 2026 FAI Cup
References