The 2026 Carlow Senior Football Championship is the 126th edition of the Carlow GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded clubs in County Carlow, Ireland. The tournament consists of 8 teams, with the winner going on to represent Carlow in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship starts with a league phase and then progresses to a knock out stage.
Old Leighlin are the defending champions after defeating Rathvilly to win their first Carlow S.F.C title in 12 years.
Grange returned to the senior grade after winning the 2025 Carlow Intermediate Football Championship against Ballon. It ended a gap of 19 years away from the senior level.
Tinryland were relegated after losing to Éire Óg in the 2025 relegation final.
Format Changes
The 2026 Carlow S.F.C starts with a league phase, unlike previous years where it started with a group stage. All 8 clubs with play five games each in the league phase, with the last championship meeting of two clubs last year being avoided for round 1 of the league. The top two clubs advance to semi-finals, while 3rd will play 6th in the quarter-finals, as well as 4th vs 5th. The bottom two clubs will contest in a relegation play-off to save their status as a senior graded club.
Winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals, where the winners of the semi-finals will play each other to decide who takes the 2026 Carlow S.F.C title.
Team Changes The following teams have changed division since the 2025 championship season:
To S.F.C. Promoted from 2025 Carlow Intermediate Football Championship Grange - (Intermediate Champions)
From S.F.C. Relegated to 2026 Carlow Intermediate Football Championship Tinryland
Participating teams The clubs competing in the 2026 Carlow SFC are: TeamLocationPre C'ship OddsChampionship Position in 2025Championship Position in 2026In championship sinceChampionship titles (Pre 2026)Last championship title (Pre 2026) Bagenalstown GaelsBagenalstown9/1Semi-finalsQuarter-finals20190— Éire ÓgCarlow15/8Relegation finalSemi-Finalist—312023 FenaghFenagh25/1Quarter-finalsRelegated to 2027 I.F.C.20250— GrangeGrange50/1Intermediate championsQuarter-finals20260— Mount Leinster RangersBorris14/1Quarter-finalsRelegation final—0— Old LeighlinOld Leighlin9/2Champions—52025 PalatinePalatine10/3Semi-finalsSemi-finals—72022 RathvillyRathvilly13/8Runners-up—102024
League Phase
Table
TeamMatchesScorePtsPldWDLForAgainstDiff Éire Óg541012568 +579 Rathvilly541010262 +409 Palatine53209479 +158 Bagenalstowns Gaels52039494 04 Old Leighlin52036681 -154 Grange52037795 -184 Fenagh510472104 -322 Mount Leinster Rangers500566113 -470
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Knock-out Stage
Bracket
Relegation Play-off
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals The draw for the semi-finals of the championship took place on 13 September 2026. Final
References