The 2026 Laois Senior Football Championship is the 136th edition of the Laois GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Laois, Ireland. 16 teams compete, with the winner represent Laois in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship.
Portarlington are the defending champions after defeating Courtwood 1-07 to 0-07 in the 2025 final. It was their 2nd in a row and their 5th championship title in six years.
Park–Ratheniska won the 2025 Laois Intermediate Football Championship and were therefore promoted to the 2026 Laois S.F.C.
Ballyfin lost to Crettyard in the relegation final, relegating them to the 2026 Laois I.F.C.
The draw for round 1 of the championship was made on the 26 February 2026.
Format Changes
The 2026 Laois S.F.C will be the final year of the 16 team championship format, with over the course of 2 years being reduced to a 14-team tournament in 2027 to a 12-team tournament in 2028 and beyond.
The championship starts with round 1, seeded with the 8 teams that were in last years quarter-finals against the other 8 teams as well as the 2025 I.F.C Champions. The winners in Round 1 head to Round 2A while the losers play in Round 2B. The four winners in Round 2A qualify for the quarter-finals while the four losers in play against the four winners of Round 2B in Round 3. The losers of Round 2B are demoted to the Senior 'B' Championship. The Round 3 winners qualify for the quarter-finals while the losers will play against the Round 2B losers in the Senior 'B' Quarter-finals.
The four losers of the Senior 'B' Quarter-finals play in the relegation semi-finals. The losers of the relegation semi-finals are relegated to the 2027 Laois I.F.C Championship. The Relegation final consists of the two relegation semi-final winners who will play each other for the right to stay in the senior grade.
With 3 teams relegated this year, along with the 2026 Laois I.F.C champions being promoted, the 2027 Laois S.F.C will consist of 14 teams,
Team Changes The following teams have changed division in since the 2025 championship season:
To S.F.C. Promoted from 2025 I.F.C. Park–Ratheniska – (Intermediate Champions)
From S.F.C. Relegated to 2026 I.F.C. Ballyfin
Participating teams The teams competing in the 2026 Laois S.F.C are: ClubLocationManager(s)Pre C'ship Odds2025 Championship Position2026 Championship PositionIn Championship SinceChampionship Titles (Pre 2026)Last Championship Title (Pre 2026) Arles–KilleenRossenaPaddy Christie25/1Quarter-FinalistSenior 'B' Semi-Finalist20040— Ballyroan AbbeyBallyroanMartin Murphy6/1Quarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist201481992 Clonaslee–St Manman'sClonaslee33/1Relegation Semi-FinalistRelegated to Intermediate20210— Courtwood BallybrittasMark Bates4/1Runners-Up20190— CrettyardCrettyard100/1Relegation-Finalist20250— EmoEmoGreg Ramsbottom25/1Senior 'B' ChampionsSenior 'B' Semi-Finalist201811972 GraiguecullenGraiguecullenMaurice Browne16/1Semi-Finalist2008121965 KilleshinKilleshinRyan van Haeften25/1Quarter-FinalistSemi-Finalist20120— O'Dempsey'sKillenardEoin Kearns16/1Relegation Semi-FinalistQuarter-Finalist201721980 Park–RatheniskaRatheniskaJohnny Nevin66/1I.F.C ChampionsRelegated to Intermediate202621953 PortarlingtonPortarlingtonRonan Sweeney8/15Champions1992172025 PortlaoisePortlaoiseTurlough O'Brien4/1Quarter-FinalistQuarter-Finalist1983352019 RosenallisRosenallis66/1Senior 'B' Semi-Finalist20200— St Joseph'sKellyville and MilltownBrian Cardiff4/1Semi-FinalistSemi-Finalist1970102023 StradballyStradballyPadraig Clancy16/1Senior 'B' Runners-UpQuarter-Finalist1984172016 The HeathThe HeathDonnacha Phelan66/1Senior 'B' Semi-Finalist2023101993
Knock-out Stage Round 1 Seeded Teams Portarlington Courtwood Graiguecullen St Joseph's Arles–Killeen Ballyroan Abbey Killeshin Portlaoise All 16 teams enter the competition in this round. The 8 winners progress to Round 2A, while the 8 losers progress to Round 2B.
Round 2 The draw for Round 2 of the championship was held on the 25 July 2026.
Round 2A The 8 winners from Round 1 enter this round. The 4 winners from this round will enter the draw for the quarter-finals, while the 4 losers will play in Round 3. Round 2B The 8 losers from Round 1 enter this round. The 4 winners from this round will go into Round 3, while the 4 losers will enter the Senior 'B' quarter-finals.
Round 3 The 4 losers from Round 2A enter this round and play the 4 winners from Round 2B. The 4 winners will go into the draw for the quarter-finals and the 4 losers will play against the 4 losers of Round 2B in the Senior 'B' quarter-finals.
The draw for Round 3 of the championship was held on 9 August 2026.
Quarter-Finals The quarter-finals will eliminate four teams, leaving four left. These teams will face off against each other in the semi-finals. The draw for the quarter-finals was conducted on 23 August 2026. Semi-Finals In the semi-finals, two further teams will be eliminated, leaving the best from each set to play each other in the Final. The draw for the semi-finals were made on 13 September 2026.
Final The remaining two teams play against each other to determine the champion.
Senior 'B'
Senior 'B' Quarter-Finals The Senior 'B' quarter-finals demote four teams to the relegation semi-finals, leaving four left. These teams will face off against each other in the Senior 'B' semi-finals. The draw for the Senior B quarter-finals was made on 23 August 2026 Senior 'B' Semi-Finals In the Senior 'B' semi-finals, two further teams will be eliminated, leaving the two winners to play each other in the Senior 'B' final. The draw for the Senior B semi-finals were made on 13 September 2026.
Senior 'B' Final The remaining two teams play each other in the Senior 'B' final.
Relegation Play-off
Relegation Semi-Finals The two losers of the relegation semi-finals are relegated to the 2027 Laois I.F.C. The two winners will play each other in the relegation final. The draw for the relegation semi-finals were made on 13 September 2026. Relegation Final The winner of the relegation final will stay within the Laois S.F.C
Leinster Senior Club Football Championship
References