Women’s football in Ireland will take a significant step forward in 2026 with the creation of a new Women’s Development League, supported by UEFA’s Women’s League Development Fund.
The competition will expand the League of Ireland pyramid, provide new playing opportunities, and strengthen the pathway for players as they move from academy to senior level.
The league will sit alongside the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division and the EA SPORTS Women’s Under-17 League, creating three national tiers of competition. It will replace the current Under-19 structure, addressing a long-standing gap where many players found themselves without a competitive outlet once they aged out of academy football.
All 12 Premier Division clubs will enter Under-23 teams, giving their players a chance to continue competing at a high standard.
They will be joined by 10 new senior sides, drawn from clubs already involved in the EA SPORTS LOI Academy Development Programme.
Those clubs are Bray Wanderers, CK United, Cobh Ramblers, Drogheda United, Dundalk, Finn Harps, Kerry, Longford Town, Mayo and St Patrick’s Athletic.
For the first time, these teams will field senior women’s teams in a national competition.
League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon welcomed their inclusion and the work that had gone in to make the step possible.
“The clubs stepping up to this new Women’s Development League deserve huge credit for the work that they have done whilst being part of the EA SPORTS LOI Academy Development Programme over recent years.”
“This new tier will provide greater opportunities for players and coaches to develop, as well as bringing League of Ireland football at women’s senior level to more communities around the country.”
The structure of the new competition has been designed with player development in mind.
The league will be split into two groups, with each team playing 20 matches, home and away. The top teams will then progress to a knock-out phase, culminating in a Development League Final.
There will be no promotion or relegation in the inaugural season, but the issue will be revisited in time as the league settles.
In another important change, the 10 new senior clubs will also enter the Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup from the first round.
This will give them the chance to test themselves against established Premier Division opposition and to bring the cup competition into more parts of the country.
The introduction of the Women’s Development League is also expected to boost coaching and staff development.
With more senior teams in operation, there will be greater demand for coaches, medical staff, and administrators, broadening the professional base of the women’s game.
At community level, the presence of senior women’s sides in towns and regions that previously did not have them should create a stronger sense of connection and provide more visible role models for younger players.
UEFA’s financial support will be vital in making the new structure a success, covering the costs of implementation and giving the FAI and clubs a stable foundation. The governing body has also highlighted that further academy programmes for younger players are in development.
This would ensure that the pipeline of talent feeding into the new Women’s Development League and beyond is sustained and expanded.
“It’s exciting to see the continued development of the League of Ireland with this expansion helping to elevate 10 more clubs to senior level in the women’s domestic game and creating a bridge between Academy and Senior football,” added Scanlon.
“The creation of the Women’s Development League is designed to make the game more robust, to give players more time and space to grow, and to spread women’s senior football into communities where it has not previously existed.”
“When it kicks off in 2026, it will offer players, clubs, and supporters a fresh chapter in the evolution of the domestic game.”
Image Credit: League of Ireland and Stephen McCarthy of Sportsfile
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