The FAI has confirmed that next year’s Airtricity League will consist of a 12 team Premier League and a First Division for which new applications for licenses are being sought.
This replicates the position at the start of the current season but brings the number of teams competing at the top level back to 12 after Monaghan United left the League in June.
This reduced the number of clubs by one and created bye weeks for clubs already struggling to meet financial obligations.
The number will increase through the first division champions being automatically promoted and the last spot being determined by a play off between the teams finishing second and third in the second flight and the team finishing 11th in the Premier League.  At present the four teams involved in those positions are Limerick, Longford Town, Waterford United and Dundalk.
Consultation between the League, the FAI, clubs and stakeholders has taken place in recent months, with the debate heightened by the condition which a number of clubs are facing.
This decision means the League will be relying on new expressions of interest form clubs stepping up to the senior ranks in order to have a viable second tier.  Most of the eight clubs operating their this season had argued for a single league structure but it is thought legal challenges to this have prevented a short term decision to proceed.
As things stand it would mean a second tier of only seven clubs with question marks also over what may be as many as three of those likely to be involved.
The FAI has highlighted that attendances were up this season and remains confident that new clubs will come forward but the likely deadline is only one month away and this will be an anxious time for the clubs caught in the middle.
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