20 Teams, 2 Divisions, 1 National League

[yurt]

Do we know when this is happening?

The FAI can also confirm that entry for the next round of Men’s and Women’s National Cup Competitions will open at the end of 2025. Online entry forms will be circulated to all affiliated leagues for distribution to their clubs and will also be accessible directly via the FAI Connect platform.

From this quote I understand it that it'll be starting right away from this season. Meaning it'll just be the 2026 FAI Junior Cup (Not the 25/26).

Happy to see this move being made and looking forward to seeing how much more competitive the non-league teams are in the first rounds of the FAI Cup as a result.

[Burnsie]

that's correct on timing

But it won't make teams the non-league teams any more competitive .They'll still be off all summer (in terms of league matches) And in any event I'm not convinced that off-season rustiness is a significant factor in the results we've seen in recent years.

[legendz]

What's likely to happen from here? Is it only leagues on the calendar year season that are going to be linked to a national pathway and the winter season leagues continuing as separate entities?

[Elfman]

For the 20 National League clubs that will emerge, having academy sides should be part of the licencing for the League of Ireland eligibility.

Not necessarily crucial for NL eligibility but certainly for LOI promotion. Creating an amateur third tier allows extra money generated to be spent an upgrades to the club e.g. Fences, stands and running more youth teams nationally.

Might take 3-5 years to build up enough fans & sponsors to deal with the extra costs. And we don't want teams getting promoted before their time. As Nigel and others have said, let's hope for some minimum requirements and then their enforcement. Like dressing rooms & toilets

[Elfman]

that's correct on timing

But it won't make teams the non-league teams any more competitive .They'll still be off all summer (in terms of league matches) And in any event I'm not convinced that off-season rustiness is a significant factor in the results we've seen in recent years.

Can anything be done to bridge the gap?

[Elfman]

What's likely to happen from here? Is it only leagues on the calendar year season that are going to be linked to a national pathway and the winter season leagues continuing as separate entities?

I'd agree with you, it's hard to see any other outcome what with the FAI announcement about moving the national cups and non-leagues like the Cork Business League pressing ahead with plans to switch to a summer season.

I do wonder what will happen in that scenario where the biggest clubs in Cork & Dublin (plus Donegal, Galway and Limerick) are on a winter season and potentially not competitive in the cups.

[EatYerGreens]

I'd agree with you, it's hard to see any other outcome what with the FAI announcement about moving the national cups and non-leagues like the Cork Business League pressing ahead with plans to switch to a summer season.

I do wonder what will happen in that scenario where the biggest clubs in Cork & Dublin (plus Donegal, Galway and Limerick) are on a winter season and potentially not competitive in the cups.

I suspect that many, if not most, of the biggest clubs in those areas will have joined the new Third tier to be honest. So it won't be an issue for them.

[nigel-harps1954]

Majority of clubs in Donegal have stopped entering the national cups anyway, so I'd say it'll have negligence difference.

[culloty82]

Will be interesting to see how the KDL sides react - it's only from August onwards that the GAA club season really kicks in, so with the vast majority of rounds between January and then, there shouldn't be much in the way of availability clashes until the last 16/QFs onwards.