The GAA and the Provincial Councils of Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster will break with long-standing tradition this November when the 2026 Provincial Football Championship Draws are streamed live across all Official GAA channels, in partnership with GAA+.
The show, broadcast from Croke Park on Thursday, 27 November at 7 pm, marks the first time supporters will be able to watch the draws unfold in real time on GAA platforms.
It represents a significant shift in how one of the inter-county season’s key moments is delivered. In previous years, the draws were typically carried by RTÉ — most recently on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland.
While shown on the ‘visual radio’ medium of the RTÉ News Channel, those broadcasts offered limited visual production and did not provide supporters with an ‘event’ style draw. It has been 2019 since the draws were last shown from a full RTÉ TV studio.
The adoption of a full live video stream on GAA+ and across all GAA social channels signals a new digital-first era.
The association is increasingly leaning on GAA+ for live games, analysis, and behind-the-scenes content, and integrating the Provincial Championship Draws into that ecosystem reflects a broader strategy of bringing significant calendar moments directly to fans — without relying on external broadcasters.
It reflects that the 2027 Rugby World Cup Draw next week will be broadcast live on YouTube, allowing a greater understanding of the fans who are engaging.
This year’s GAA+ production will include a look back at the 2025 provincial championships, featuring appearances from members of last year’s winning teams, as well as studio analysis to set the tone for the 2026 campaign.
Instant reaction will follow each provincial draw, giving counties and supporters a more rounded experience.
Making the event fully accessible across all GAA channels — and not tied to a single broadcaster or radio slot — represents a deliberate step toward deepening fan engagement at the earliest stage of the season. It also creates what the GAA hopes will become a new annual tradition, signalling the start of the inter-county year.
Supporters can tune in across any Official GAA social platform, including YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram and GAA+.
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