TG4 and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association have announced a landmark five-year extension to one of the longest-standing and most influential partnerships in Irish sport, confirming that TG4 will remain sponsor and broadcaster of the All-Ireland Ladies Football Championships until the end of the 2032 season.
The announcement was made yesterday at Croke Park during the official launch of the 2026 TG4 All-Ireland Championships, as both organisations celebrated 25 years of collaboration since TG4 first partnered with the LGFA in 2001.
What began with coverage of just six games has evolved into one of the most comprehensive broadcast commitments in Irish women’s sport, with 49 LGFA fixtures shown across TG4 linear television, TG4 Player, the TG4 App and the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel in 2025.
Speaking to Sport for Business yesterday, LGFA CEO Lyn Savage, who will be experiencing her first Championship in her new role, described the extension as another significant moment in the sport’s evolution.
“It’s probably a bit surreal because my first memory of these launches was coming as a player,” she said. “To see where it is now and the announcement we have with TG4 today just brings it to a whole new level.”
The renewed agreement guarantees continued free-to-air coverage of every Senior Championship game, either on linear television or via streaming platforms, alongside live coverage of the Intermediate and Junior Semi-Finals and Finals, and expanded digital coverage throughout the summer.
Savage believes the increased visibility has fundamentally changed the landscape for players and supporters alike.
“The game was always there, and the skills were always there, but it just wasn’t being captured,” she said. “Now, young players can actually see themselves in the players they watch every week. That’s hugely important.”
The new deal was welcomed by TG4 Ard-Stiúrthóir Deirdre Ní Choistín, who described the partnership as a core part of TG4’s own development over the past quarter century.
“As TG4 celebrates 30 years on air in 2026, we are very proud that Ladies Gaelic Football has been such an important part of our story,” she said. “Over the past 25 years, the TG4 All-Ireland Championships have grown enormously in profile, reach and ambition, and TG4’s coverage has helped bring the skill, passion and personalities of the players to homes and communities throughout Ireland and abroad.”
“Since 2001, TG4 has played a transformative role in promoting Ladies Gaelic Football, bringing our games, players and communities into homes across Ireland and beyond,” added Triona Murray, President of the LGFA.
“As we now celebrate 25 years together, it is important to recognise the enormous impact this partnership has had on the growth, visibility and professionalism of our sport at every level.”
Speaking to Sport for Business yesterday, TG4 Head of Sport Rónán Ó Coisdealbha said the broadcaster saw the extension as a natural progression of a relationship that has helped shape the modern women’s sporting landscape.
“We just felt it was the right time to extend the contract,” he said. “It’s good for long-term planning for us and for the LGFA. We’ve grown together over the past 25 years.”
Ó Coisdealbha pointed to the dramatic increase in output and accessibility since TG4 first became involved.
“Six games is what we started with in 2001, and now we’re at 49 games across all competitions,” he said. “The bottom line for us is that we want to get the game out there to as many people as possible.”
He also highlighted the growing importance of digital distribution, noting that the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel now attracts more than 93,000 subscribers worldwide.
“All senior games will be available free-to-air, whether that’s on linear television or YouTube,” he said. “That global accessibility is hugely important for the promotion of the game.”
The extension arrives at a time of sustained growth for Ladies Gaelic Football, with participation, attendances and viewing figures all continuing to rise. The 2019 All-Ireland Finals attendance of 56,114 remains a benchmark for the sport, while Savage believes there is still significant room for further growth.
“We have over 220,000 members,” she said. “Even if our own members came, never mind the wider public, we should be filling Croke Park.”
The 2026 TG4 All-Ireland Championships begin this weekend in the Junior and Intermediate grades, while the Senior Championship starts on June 7 with Dublin travelling to Mayo before Cork host Armagh in a live TG4 double-header.
The senior competition again features four groups of three teams, with group winners earning home quarter-finals and an open draw to determine who they play from the four runners-up. The championships reach their conclusion at Croke Park on Sunday, August 2.
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