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Football Format Changes Discussion

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This topic is getting more complicated with every post. Solution, forget about provincial finalists getting home advantage. Wherever the teams finish in both Division 1 and 2 that's their seeding for the championship draw. Top of Division 1 plays bottom of Division 2 and so on until bottom of 1 plays top of 2. All neutral venues. Then use the system they have in place this year for remaining games.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2727 - 06/06/2026 23:17:27    2678410

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Replying To Saynothing:  "This topic is getting more complicated with every post. Solution, forget about provincial finalists getting home advantage. Wherever the teams finish in both Division 1 and 2 that's their seeding for the championship draw. Top of Division 1 plays bottom of Division 2 and so on until bottom of 1 plays top of 2. All neutral venues. Then use the system they have in place this year for remaining games."
1. Not a fan of neutral venues. If Kerry happen to get through 2B and have to travel away to Mayo or Tyrone in Round 3, so be it. There's actually an argument for 2A losers being at home in Round 3, similar to how group runners up used to be guaranteed a home preliminary quarter final.
2. Separating provincials from the All Ireland would solve a lot of problems.
3. Giving provincial winners 2 home games, as mooted by Jarlath Burns, so that provincial runners up are still given a home game is extreme. Provincial runners-up should not be guaranteed a home game. Provincial winners should only be guaranteed a home game in Round 1.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 07/06/2026 12:59:44    2678472

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Replying To legendzxix:  "1. Not a fan of neutral venues. If Kerry happen to get through 2B and have to travel away to Mayo or Tyrone in Round 3, so be it. There's actually an argument for 2A losers being at home in Round 3, similar to how group runners up used to be guaranteed a home preliminary quarter final.
2. Separating provincials from the All Ireland would solve a lot of problems.
3. Giving provincial winners 2 home games, as mooted by Jarlath Burns, so that provincial runners up are still given a home game is extreme. Provincial runners-up should not be guaranteed a home game. Provincial winners should only be guaranteed a home game in Round 1."
Agree with your last sentence.
Losing Provincial finalists should have no perks.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 632 - 07/06/2026 13:23:49    2678478

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Replying To legendzxix:  "1. Not a fan of neutral venues. If Kerry happen to get through 2B and have to travel away to Mayo or Tyrone in Round 3, so be it. There's actually an argument for 2A losers being at home in Round 3, similar to how group runners up used to be guaranteed a home preliminary quarter final.
2. Separating provincials from the All Ireland would solve a lot of problems.
3. Giving provincial winners 2 home games, as mooted by Jarlath Burns, so that provincial runners up are still given a home game is extreme. Provincial runners-up should not be guaranteed a home game. Provincial winners should only be guaranteed a home game in Round 1."
Provincial winners shouldn't get a home draw either, especially when they are so different. Ulster possibly 5 teams can win Ulster, Connacht 3, Leinster now 4, Munster 1.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2727 - 07/06/2026 14:00:07    2678491

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Provincial winners shouldn't get a home draw either, especially when they are so different. Ulster possibly 5 teams can win Ulster, Connacht 3, Leinster now 4, Munster 1."
Of course they should. They are the second most important competitions in the game. The league will not replace the provincial championships. There is a reason why counties blood players in the league for the championship. Ye win a few all itelands and all of a sudden ye want to demote the ulster championship. Go figure.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 559 - 07/06/2026 14:12:56    2678495

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Provincial winners shouldn't get a home draw either, especially when they are so different. Ulster possibly 5 teams can win Ulster, Connacht 3, Leinster now 4, Munster 1."
Just a matter of gathering support amongst Congress delegates for separating the provincials and letting the sacred cows stand on their own legs! ;-)
The 4 provincial finals were grand events this year without needing any kind of reward for winning finals to add anything to the occasions.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 07/06/2026 14:30:06    2678498

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Replying To Saynothing:  "This topic is getting more complicated with every post. Solution, forget about provincial finalists getting home advantage. Wherever the teams finish in both Division 1 and 2 that's their seeding for the championship draw. Top of Division 1 plays bottom of Division 2 and so on until bottom of 1 plays top of 2. All neutral venues. Then use the system they have in place this year for remaining games."
Most sensible post in a while. Seeding is rewarderd for sustained work and consistency over a period of time, not beating London or waterford or Clare in a provincial semi.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 192 - 07/06/2026 15:16:18    2678516

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Of course they should. They are the second most important competitions in the game. The league will not replace the provincial championships. There is a reason why counties blood players in the league for the championship. Ye win a few all itelands and all of a sudden ye want to demote the ulster championship. Go figure."
Go figure this, are the 4 provincial championships equal? No. Teams can waltz their way to a final while others in a different province have to slough their guts out. Top 16 teams in All Ireland series, end of.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2727 - 07/06/2026 15:47:43    2678523

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Go figure this, are the 4 provincial championships equal? No. Teams can waltz their way to a final while others in a different province have to slough their guts out. Top 16 teams in All Ireland series, end of."
Yeah, league is a great competition, absolutely fair, and even the 3/4 home and away is taken into account where possible, if teams not relegated or promoted. You can also plan a trip we'll in advance, as plenty on flights from London here, match weekends. That's the way to lead into the All Ireland. Revenue from provincials stays in the provincial boards control, that's the problem, they fear!

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 144 - 08/06/2026 08:28:21    2678605

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Lads still debating the pros and cons of provincial championships. I'm 10 years saying there should be no provincials and we should have one main competition that runs from Spring to August. Split into 3 tiers with promotion and relegation.

And the blooding players thing is overstated. Managers pretty much know who is good enough and who isn't based on club form, training and in house games and challenge matches. Provincials are a money racket. End of story.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8850 - 08/06/2026 11:12:50    2678628

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Teams in Provincial Finals coming into the A.I series will generally have played 3 games [ranging from 2 to 4] whereas some non Provincial Finalists will have played just one. Generally the Provincial Finalists will have played 1-2 games more.

In order to address this imbalance and to get teams knocked out early back playing sooner the following adjustment is applied to the A.I series---

It could be worked with the current number of 16 teams but it works better with 17.
This year that 17th team is Down. [Appropriate !]

The 8 Provincial Finalists bypass Round 1 and go directly to Round 2A.
The 9 other teams enter at Round 1 .

ROUND 1
9 Qualifiers that did not reach Provincial Finals drawn in 3 groups of 3.
One Home and one Away game each.
Draw takes place after completion of Provincial Semi Finals.
Two teams that exited Provincials earliest play in 1st game in each group.
Two group winners with best record go to Round 3.[Either best record across the 2 group games or a better option is highest placed in N.F.L.]
Other group winner and 3 second placed teams go to Round 2B.

ROUND 2A
4 Provincial Winners drawn at home to 4 Provincial Runners Up.
4 Winners to A.I. Q.F
4 Losers to Round 3

ROUND 2B
One group Winner and 3 group runners up from Round 1 in two ties.

ROUND 3
4 Losers from Round 2A are drawn against two best group winners from Round 1 + two winners from Round 2B

QUARTER FINALS
4 Round 2A winners are drawn against Round 3 winners.

Now the Tailteann Cup is down a team to 15.
So 5 groups of 3.
Group winners to Q.F.
Group Runners Up [+ New York] to P.Q.F.

edu (Mayo) - Posts: 134 - 08/06/2026 14:50:07    2678694

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Lads still debating the pros and cons of provincial championships. I'm 10 years saying there should be no provincials and we should have one main competition that runs from Spring to August. Split into 3 tiers with promotion and relegation.

And the blooding players thing is overstated. Managers pretty much know who is good enough and who isn't based on club form, training and in house games and challenge matches. Provincials are a money racket. End of story."
Yeah, a fair system and equal number of games
Is all we need, seems to stick in the throat for some though. I wonder what revenue each province makes from the football championships? Surely big difference around the four?

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 144 - 08/06/2026 15:17:52    2678697

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Replying To Expertinall:  "Yeah, a fair system and equal number of games
Is all we need, seems to stick in the throat for some though. I wonder what revenue each province makes from the football championships? Surely big difference around the four?"
As Mr P says the 4 SFC games played in Ireland are the Connacht Councils main income.
This year about 45,000 attended so maybe €900k?

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 632 - 08/06/2026 15:36:07    2678701

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Lads still debating the pros and cons of provincial championships. I'm 10 years saying there should be no provincials and we should have one main competition that runs from Spring to August. Split into 3 tiers with promotion and relegation.

And the blooding players thing is overstated. Managers pretty much know who is good enough and who isn't based on club form, training and in house games and challenge matches. Provincials are a money racket. End of story."
The biggest objecters to that system would be Ulster counties.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 671 - 08/06/2026 16:08:42    2678705

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