It promises to be the biggest single expansion in Irish Football since the creation of the Women’s Premier Division and the FAI has set a target date of 2026 to have two additional levels of football in a new National League.
It is looking to recruit 20 teams for a new league that will act as a direct connection between grassroots and professional football for the first time in Ireland.
The call has gone out to all aspiring clubs and administrators to express their interest in becoming one of the 20 teams that will form part of this new era in national football history.
The initiative underscores the FAI’s Football Pathways Plan and commitment to fostering talent from the grassroots level and ensuring that players and clubs across Ireland can progress to the highest level.
Discussions among sources at Tallaght Stadium last night for Shamrock Rovers’ historic advance to knockout football in Europe were speculating that the potential is there across the country and that there would be more than 20 teams that would see this as a viable progression for them.
20 Teams will be selected from those that apply, making up two divisions of the National League, similar to the English Football League sitting underneath the two divisions of the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland.
The National League will be integrated into the existing football pyramid in Ireland, offering a clear route for promotion and relegation to and from the League of Ireland. The ambition is to split the new teams into North and South divisions. The teams will play against other teams in their respective divisions first to qualify for playoffs, where top teams from North and South will compete for a chance to be promoted to the LOI Men’s First Division.
Conversely, teams from the LOI Men’s First Division may face relegation to the National League, ensuring a dynamic and competitive structure that continually rewards excellence and development.
The FAI is set to launch the League in preparation for a shorter season in 2026 for alignment with the 2027 League of Ireland calendar.
Clubs must express their interest by the 21st February 2025 to be considered for the League.
The FAI will then review applications and meet with potential teams to share more information and answer any questions the club may have.
The League will act as an independent yet interlinked entity that provides a robust platform for clubs to progress their ambition, as well as an opportunity to be promoted and recognised on a national stage.
“This is the first stage of the creation of a new FAI National League and is an exciting moment for Irish football as we progress another of our 11 key actions aligned with our Football Pathways Plan,” said FAI Chief Football Officer Marc Canham.
“The new FAI National League provides a clear pathway and progression from the Amateur game to the League of Ireland and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to develop our Irish football pyramid now and in the future.”
“I’d like to thank the working group who’ve dedicated a lot of hard work and effort behind the scenes to get to where we are today with this announcement,” added FAI Grassroots Director Ger McDermott.
“It’s a first step on the development of a pyramid for Irish football and we will be working closely with all provincial associations and all existing leagues who will form a core part of the other tiers.”
“We look forward to engaging with all interested clubs and entities in our new FAI National League.”
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
The League is in a great spot with attendance and viewership hitting record levels and genuine excitement spreading across the game and the potentially much larger fan base. This is a smart expansion at the right time, not over extending the teams at this level but given them and their players sight of a genuine pathway. always a vital part of sporting competition.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Next season’s full fixture list for the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland will be released on December 17th. Expressions of interest for this are due by February 25th. Watch out for more FAI announcements over the next week and join CEO David Courell as one of the Keynote guests at our Sport for Business Sporting Year Ahead event in January.
MEMBERSHIP
The FAI, Sky, SSE Airtricity, Aviva and other football related partners are active members of the Sport for Business community, as well as a growing number of League of Ireland clubs.
BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE FOR THE SPORTING YEAR AHEAD 2025
Member and Limited number of Non-Member Tickets available
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
