The prospect of reviving an all-island club football competition has returned to the agenda after Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government’s Shared Island initiative could support greater cooperation between the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Football Association.
Speaking at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday at an event celebrating the contribution of former FAI President Oscar Traynor, Martin expressed support for exploring opportunities to develop football across the island, including the potential return of a cross-border club competition.
The Taoiseach referenced the former Setanta Sports Cup, which brought together leading clubs from the League of Ireland and Irish League between 2005 and 2014, as an example of the type of cooperation that could be revisited.
His comments suggest an approach based on greater collaboration between the two existing associations rather than any immediate proposal to merge their structures or international teams.
Martin also indicated that the Government’s Shared Island Unit could play a supporting role in developing appropriate initiatives.
The intervention raises the possibility of a renewed conversation about a competition that previously provided additional fixtures, commercial exposure and cross-border rivalries for leading clubs on both sides of the border.
Reviving a cross-border competition would require agreement between the FAI and IFA, alongside consideration of the increasingly demanding domestic and European fixture calendars.
As of Wednesday morning, neither the FAI nor IFA had issued a publicly confirmed formal response to the Taoiseach’s comments. There has been no announcement of discussions between the associations or any agreed proposal to reintroduce the competition.
That leaves the immediate question of whether the political encouragement will translate into a formal conversation between football’s governing bodies.
Sport for Business Perspective
A renewed competition involving leading clubs from both jurisdictions could create additional sponsorship, offer broadcasters and streaming platforms new content, and generate ticketing and hospitality revenues around established cross-border rivalries.
Whether that would materialise enough to offset the additional fixture demands, and whether it would also include a Women’s Football version this time, remain open.
It could also provide a platform for greater cooperation in areas such as youth development, women’s football, coaching and facilities.
The commercial landscape has changed considerably since the Setanta Sports Cup ended in 2014.
The League of Ireland has experienced growing attendances and stronger supporter engagement, while clubs on both sides of the border, as well as the Leagues themselves, have developed their digital and commercial operations.
The potential involvement of the Shared Island Unit adds another dimension, with the possibility of Government support for initiatives that strengthen sporting relationships across the border.
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