Republic of Ireland football league system

History

Senior

The original national league for the island of Ireland was the Irish Football League. Founded in 1890, this league later became the Northern Ireland Football League. Three Dublin clubs – Bohemians, Shelbourne and Tritonville – played in the Irish Football League before the partition of Ireland. In June 1921, less than a month after partition, the League of Ireland was founded as the highest level of league competition in the Republic of Ireland. The inaugural season of the new national league was held in 1921–22 with St James’ Gate winning the first-ever League of Ireland title.

In 1985, following a reorganisation, the League of Ireland was split into two divisions with the creation of a Premier Division and a First Division. This also introduced promotion and relegation to senior football in Ireland for the first time. The league's Premier Division is the top division.

The 2003 season would see the League of Ireland change from a winter league to a summer league. Each team played four rounds of games, totalling 36 games each.

Intermediate

The two oldest association football leagues in the Republic of Ireland are the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League. Both leagues are classed as intermediate. The former was founded in 1896 while the latter first appeared in the early 1900s. The Leinster Senior League's jurisdiction included the Greater Dublin Area, the most populated region in the country, and as a result it was effectively a de facto second-level league between 1896–97 and 1964–65.

In 1964 the League of Ireland formed the first formal national second level division, the League of Ireland B Division.{{Cite book| title=A History of Athlone Town F.C: The First 101 Years | first=Frank | last=Lynch | year=1991

From 1964–65 until 2008 the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League formed the third level. They were subsequently joined at this level by the Connacht Senior League in 1981 and the Ulster Senior League in 1986.

In 1985, following a reorganisation, the B Division was replaced as the second tier by the League of Ireland First Division. As part of this reorganisation, a promotion and relegation system involving the top two national divisions was introduced for the first time.

Junior

Association football at a junior level was also becoming organised with the establishment of a Tipperary League and a Sligo League in the 1920s. In 1923, the first national cup competition for junior clubs was set up. Called the FAI Junior Cup, the competition's first winners were Brideville who beat Cobh Ramblers in the inaugural 1923–24 final.

The Cork Business League was founded in 1952 and was granted junior status for the 1952–53 season. In 1954 Westport Town, Barcastle, Quay Hearts and Castlebar Celtic became the founder members of the Mayo Association Football League.

Between 2008 and 2011, the provincial leagues were briefly replaced as the third level by a short lived national third-level league known as the A Championship. Following the demise of the A Championship, the provincial leagues regained their third level status. Both the Connacht and Ulster leagues were subsequently wound up.

Cup eligibility

Being members of a league at a particular level also affects eligibility for Cup, or single-elimination, competitions.

• FAI Cup: Levels 1–3
• League of Ireland Cup: Levels 1–2
• FAI Intermediate Cup: Levels 3–7
• FAI Junior Cup: Levels 7–12

Below level 7 the pyramid becomes regional and the cups become accordingly regional. Further down the pyramid is split on a county basis, counties having their own cups accordingly. This excludes some tournaments marked "Senior Cups", which often are competitions between teams representing top professional clubs in a given district, such as the Munster Senior Cup.

Promotion and relegation

A promotion and relegation system has existed between the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland First Division since 1985–86. Between 2008 and 2011, A Championship teams were also eligible for promotion to the First Division. Promotion and relegation systems also operate within the separate provincial league systems. There is no formal promotion and relegation relationship between the provincial leagues and the League of Ireland. Teams have been invited to join the League of Ireland however. In 2015, Cabinteely of the Leinster Senior League became the most recent team to accept an invite. In 2024, it was announced by the FAI that a 3rd tier will be launched in 2026. The new league will contain 20 clubs in total., split into North and South divisions. The teams will play against other teams in their respective divisions first to qualify for playoffs, where top teams from North and South will compete for a chance to be promoted to the LOI Men's First Division. This is expected to include various current intermediate clubs, as well as reserve sides of League of Ireland clubs and new entities similar to Kerry F.C.

The system

Level one in the pyramid, the top division of Irish football, is run by the League of Ireland Premier Division (which gives its name to the competition in that division), the winners of which are regarded as the champions of the Republic of Ireland. Level two is run by the League of Ireland. Together, these two divisions make up what is known as "league football".

The leagues below level two are classed as "non-League football", meaning they are outside the League of Ireland. The leagues at levels three to six comprise the Provincial League System, and are run by the Provinces. The top level (level 3) of the Provincial leagues is known as the Senior Leagues and the winners of which are regarded as the champions of their respective Province. At present only Munster and Leinster have leagues at this level. Levels seven to twelve are designed as "Regional Feeder Leagues" or District Leagues.

There is currently no promotion or relegation system between the League of Ireland First Division (Level 2) and the provincial leagues (Level 3) in place. Therefore, there is no movement between the football league and non-league football and the only way non-league club can enter the football league is if they are elected.

Current Structure

2026 Pyramid

D

b

Notes

References

References

1. Stafford, Tom. (21 November 2024). "The Irish Football Pyramid – or lack of (part 1 - Munster)".
2. Stafford, Tom. (31 January 2025). "The Irish Football Pyramid – or lack of (part 4 - Leinster)".
3. Stafford, Tom. (12 December 2024). "The Irish Football Pyramid – or lack of (part 2 - Ulster)".
4. Carter, Simon. (13 January 2025). "Comparing the Irish Football System with Other European Leagues".
5. "Northern Ireland – Final League Tables 1890–1998".
6. Carter, Simon. "The Evolution of the League of Ireland: A Historical Perspective".
7. "Leinster votes to break away from Belfast-based Irish Football Association {{!}} Century Ireland".
8. "(Republic of) Ireland League Tables".
9. "(Republic of) Ireland League Tables - Second Level".
10. (20 February 2015). "What Happens (To) Teams That Enter The League Of Ireland First Division?". www.balls.ie.
11. "Overview {{!}} League of Ireland".
12. Dodge, John. (2025-11-07). "The History Of Waterford And Bray Wanderers In The LOI Play-offs".
13. "Ireland 2003".
14. "Welcome to the Leinster Senior Football League". lsl.ie.
15. Quigley, Brian. (18 April 2016). "‘’To B or not to be’’ – Brian Quigley’s thoughts on the League of Ireland B Division".
16. Stafford, Tom. "The Irish Football Pyramid – or lack of (part 3 - Connacht) - extratime.com". extratime.com.
17. "ULSTER SENIOR LEAGUE SOCCER".
18. Graham, Alex. (2005). "Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005". Soccer Books Limited.
19. Deegan, James. (July 2016). "The Rise of Soccer in Ireland & Tipperary – 1878 to 1920 – Rearcross FC".
20. (2024-12-02). "Local soccer rivalry was huge in Sligo stretching back to the 19th century".
21. "FAI Junior Cup Winners". Aviva Stadium.
22. (2025-12-14). "About the Cork Business League – Cork Business League".
23. Kelly, Tom. (1996). "Boots, Rules & Fantasy Free — A History Of Mayo Football". Cavendish House Publications.
24. "Swinford Soccer Club – Short History of Club". www.swinfordfc.ie.
25. (12 July 2023). "USL demise to signal junior return for Cockhill, Bonagee and Letterkenny".
26. Limegreentangerine. "FAI welcomes Expressions of Interest for a new National League".
27. "Affiliated Leagues - Munster FA".
28. "Affiliated Leagues - Leinster Football Association".
29. (2 September 2012). "League Tables - North Tipperary & District League".
30. "Premier Division – Roscommon & District Football League". www.finalwhistle.ie.
31. "RDFL Competitions - Comortais Competition Management".
32. "RDFL Pemier Division / Division 1 Promotion Relegation".
33. "League Table - Sligo Leitrim Soccer League".
34. (28 May 2024). "Changes confirmed for next season's Sligo Leitrim District and Soccer League".
35. "Tables".
36. "Tables".
37. "CDSL Rules".
38. "Premier Division 2024-25 {{!}} Cork Business League".
39. "Cork BL Premier Division – Soccer".
40. "Cork Business League Divisions Confirmed for 2024 / 2025 Season".
41. "Affiliated Leagues – LFA". www.leinsterfa.ie.
42. "Premier Division - Amateur Football League". www.amateurfootballleague.com.
43. "League Tables - Combined Counties Football League". www.ccfl.ie.
44. "Dundalk & District League - Home". leaguerepublic.com.
45. (27 February 2025). "Dundalk and District League set for an exciting 2025 season". dundalkdemocrat.ie.
46. "Donegal Junior League - Premier Division". www.finalwhistle.ie.
47. "Premier Division – Donegal Junior League". www.donegaljuniorleague.ie.
48. "League Rule book 2024". www.donegaljuniorleague.ie.
49. "RDFL Division 1 Division 2 Promotion Relegation play off".
50. "Sligo Leitrim Premier League".
51. "First Division 2024-25 – Cork Business League".
52. "Cork BL First Division – Soccer".
53. (14 August 2024). "Cork Business League Divisions Confirmed for 2024 / 2025 Season".
54. "RDFL FL Division 2".
55. "Sligo Leitrim First Division".