The FAI has confirmed the first 15 founding member clubs of the new FAI National League, marking a major step in bridging the gap between grassroots football and the League of Ireland and creating a clear development pathway for the men’s game.
The league will launch with a shortened introductory season in Autumn 2026, before expanding into a full campaign from February 2027. It will stand as the top tier of men’s grassroots football and, crucially, will incorporate promotion and relegation to the League of Ireland Men’s First Division from the 2027 season.
This is a historic shift in the domestic pyramid and a long-sought link between local clubs and the national league system.
The 15 clubs confirmed as inaugural members span all four provinces and 10 counties, reflecting widespread interest and regional reach. They include Bonagee United, CK United, Cockhill Celtic, Home Farm, Killarney Celtic, Letterkenny Rovers, Lucan United, Mayo FC, Mervue United, Newbridge Town, Salthill Devon, St Francis, TU Dublin, UCC Soccer, and Villa FC.
Their selection follows a highly competitive process which saw 67 clubs and entities register initial expressions of interest. The FAI undertook a detailed assessment of applications based on sustainability, competitiveness, and readiness to compete at national level—criteria aimed at ensuring longevity and professionalism from the outset.
The new structure will see the North and South division winners face off in a Play-Off Final to determine the National League champions. Should the winners meet First Division licensing requirements, they will then contest a promotion/relegation play-off against the bottom-placed First Division side, providing potential for an historic first ascent to the League of Ireland.
A final application window has now opened for clubs seeking to join the league, with the deadline set for January 31st, 2026—an extension the FAI says is intended to give additional time to clubs still completing the rigorous criteria.
FAI Head of Competitions Fran Gavin welcomed the milestone, stating:
“We’re delighted to be able to announce the clubs who will be the founding members of the new FAI National League, and we congratulate them on coming through a rigorous selection process,” said Gavin. “The clubs have put in a lot of hard work and we’re really excited to get started in Autumn 2026 with a shortened, truncated season before the full launch in February 2027.
“As part of the process, we have reopened a short window for final Expressions of Interest for the remaining places. Our priority is to have a strong, competitive league, and while we are happy to start with our founding member clubs to ensure the right quality, if there are clubs who now feel that they meet the criteria, we would like to hear from them.”
The establishment of the National League represents a structural shift with long-term implications—not only enabling ambition for community clubs but setting new standards for governance, competition, and pathways within Irish football.
Sport for Business Perspective
Wed are old enough to remeber the days when League of ireland clubs would fold mid-season with all the challenges that represented to integrity and credibility. Building a stronger base and ensuring that clubs are sound before entering the upper reaches is a way to prevent that from happening while expanding the local reach of the domestic game.
Image Credit: Sport for Business
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
Read our Sport for Business Coverage of Football
SPORT FOR BUSINESS Upcoming Events
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS,
The League of Ireland, SSE Airtricity, Bohemian FC, Shelbourne FC, Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United, as well as all the leading sporting and business organisations in and around the world of sport, are among the 300+ members of the Sport for Business community.
This includes all of the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies, individuals interested in our world, and an increasing number from beyond these shores taking a keen interest in Ireland.
Find out more about becoming a member today.
Or sign up for our twice-daily bulletins to get a flavour of the material we cover.
Sign up for our News Bulletins here.
