This felt like another breakthrough year for the League of Ireland, and the attendance figures back that up in style.

Across all competitions involving League of Ireland clubs, a total of 1,127,155 people attended games in 2025. That represents an 11.7 per cent increase on the 1,009,072 who passed through turnstiles in 2024.

The growth spans men’s and women’s leagues, cup competitions, and European nights, reflecting a domestic game that is increasingly embedded in local communities while also gaining serious traction on a national stage.

At the centre of that momentum sits the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division. Attendances in the top flight rose by 8 per cent, climbing from 628,178 in 2024 to 683,208 last season. Average crowds increased from 3,490 to 3,775, a figure that would have seemed ambitious not so long ago.

The tone was set from the very first weekend of the season, when a record 33,208 supporters filled the Aviva Stadium for the meeting of Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers. It was more than an opening-day spectacle; it was a statement of intent about where the league now sits in the sporting landscape, and it will be repeated on the opening weekend of the 2026 season when Bohs host St Patrick’s Athletic once more at the Aviva.

The Bohemians’ decision to stage that marquee fixture at the Aviva translated into an average home attendance of 5,862, a 38 per cent increase on their 2024 figure of 4,241.

Elsewhere, infrastructure investment and steady progress delivered tangible returns. The addition of a new stand at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium saw average attendances for Derry City rise by 20 per cent, from 2,875 to 3,474. It was a vivid example of how facilities matter — not just for comfort, but for ambition. Supporters responded to a stadium that matched the club’s on-pitch aspirations.

In Dublin, Shelbourne continued their upward curve, recording a 7 per cent increase in average crowds at Tolka Park, from 4,262 to 4,562. That growth reflects both competitive performances and a renewed sense of connection with a supporter base that has rediscovered the habit of regular attendance.

Drogheda United, meanwhile, posted a 13 per cent rise, with average gates increasing from 2,024 to 2,296, reinforcing the idea that progress is not confined to the capital or to clubs with the most significant resources.

Not every line on the balance sheet pointed upwards. Attendances in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division dipped by 5 per cent, falling from 165,163 to 157,095. Yet even here, the context matters. Fluctuations between divisions, including having Cork City in the top flight, make a big difference.

Cup competitions offered some of the most encouraging signals. Attendances at the Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup rose by 9 per cent, from 85,692 to 93,672, while the Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup delivered a striking 27 per cent increase, climbing from 6,403 to 8,164. These figures point to a growing appetite for knockout football and a women’s game that continues to build momentum year on year.

That momentum was also evident in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, which recorded a 1 per cent rise in total attendance, from 35,589 to 36,045, despite the challenges that come with league expansion and scheduling.

Waterford’s debut season added another strand to the competition’s narrative, highlighting the geographic spread and development potential within the women’s game.

European football provided another crucial lift. Success on the continental stage translated directly into footfall, with 102,673 supporters attending UEFA club competition fixtures in Ireland, up sharply from 69,475 in 2024. These nights carry a different energy — part aspiration, part validation — and their growing audiences underline the value of European qualification, not just competitively but commercially.

Taken together, the numbers from 2025 tell a clear story. This is a league ecosystem that is growing, diversifying and maturing. Investment in facilities, stronger club identities, improved governance and a calendar of events that now feels unmissable have combined to bring more than 1.1 million people through the gates. For Sport for Business, the message is unambiguous: the League of Ireland is no longer simply a football competition. It is a proven platform for community engagement, brand alignment and sustained audience growth — and in 2025, it showed just how far it has come.

 

Sport for Business Perspective

Breaking through the one million barrier for a second year feels like sustainable growth, itself driving a virtuous circle of visibility, coverage and conversation.  When the facilities start to come on stream with Dalymount Park more than doubling in capacity in years to come, it will do so with a welcome base of people wanting to be part of the league.

 

Image Credit: Sport for Business

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