The League of Ireland Women’s Development League will kick off this weekend, marking a new chapter in the structure of women’s football in Ireland as part of the expanded LOI Academy season.
Backed by UEFA through its Women’s League Development Fund, the new competition has been designed to bridge the gap between underage and senior football, offering a clear pathway for emerging talent while also expanding the national footprint of the women’s game.
The Development League will allow the 12 clubs from the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division to enter Under-23 teams into a competitive national league. They will be joined by nine clubs currently participating in the LOI Academy Development Programme, each of whom will field a senior women’s side for the first time.
The nine new senior entrants include eight teams who will be familiar from the Men’ League of Ireland and one, CK United, from Carlow and Kilkenny, that was formed in 2017 and has been playing in developmental leagues:
- Bray Wanderers
- CK United
- Cobh Ramblers
- Drogheda United
- Dundalk FC
- Finn Harps
- Kerry FC
- Longford Town
- St Patrick’s Athletic
The new league replaces the existing Women’s Under-19 competition but will remain under the umbrella of the LOI Academy Development Programme.
The introduction of the Development League is aimed at strengthening the pathway for players progressing from underage football into the senior game. It provides an opportunity for players to continue competing at national level beyond the age of 19, while also exposing younger players to a higher standard of competition.
For the nine new clubs, participation represents an important step in broadening their football offering and embedding women’s football within their senior structures.
Format and Structure
The Women’s Development League will be split into two groups. Each team will play every other side in their group on a home-and-away basis.
At the conclusion of the group stage, teams from each group will advance to a Development Knock-Out Stage, with a Development League Final will determine the overall champions
There will be no promotion or relegation to the Women’s Premier Division in the inaugural season, though this will be reviewed in future.
In addition, the nine new senior clubs will enter the expanded Women’s FAI Cup from the First Round.
UEFA funding is supporting the rollout and implementation of the competition.
Three-Tier Structure for 2026
With the introduction of the Development League, there will now be three tiers in League of Ireland Women’s football for the 2026 season:
- SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division
- League of Ireland Women’s Development League
- LOI Academy WU17 League
Mayo, initially announced as one of the new entrants, will not participate in this year’s competition and will review its involvement at a later stage.
The launch of the Development League represents a further expansion of the women’s game domestically, creating new opportunities for players and clubs while deepening the competitive landscape across the country. In that it can only be seen as a good thing.
Image Credit: League of Ireland and Sportsfile
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