Early-season GAA competitions almost certain to return in 2026
Provincial council chiefs expect their pre-league competitions to return in January. The Connacht Council are already drawing up plans for the FBD League while the Ulster Council will meet next Tuesday night when they are likely to green-light the resumption of the McKenna Cup for 2026. Leinster officials have received “generally positive” feedback following informal conversations with counties on the appetite for reviving their January competitions, while Munster are also considering the return of the early-season tournaments. “The January competitions were only deferred for one year, so there is no reason why they can’t return in 2026,” said Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy.READ MOREInside Gaelic Games: The weekly GAA newsletter from The Irish TimesGaelic Players Association to call for increase to player grants of almost 80%Cuala agree deal to buy six-acre site from Bective Rangers for €2mInternational Rules Series revival unlikely for 2026, but support remains strong“We have a meeting next week and I’d be shocked if there wasn’t support for them to go ahead in January.”The competitions – including the O’Byrne Cup, McKenna Cup, FBD League, McGrath Cup, Walsh Cup and Munster SHL – were put on ice in 2025 after the GPA successfully persuaded Central Council, on the premise of player welfare, to pause them for one year.However, provincial councils are now planning on the basis of the competitions returning next season.Leinster chairman Derek Kent said: “I suppose the default setting is that they are back. They were postponed for one year."That decision by Central Council last September to pause the competitions for 2025 sparked anger in certain quarters.The validity of the ruling by the GAA’s central body on suspending provincially-run competitions was subsequently challenged. It led the following month to a vote on overturning the decision.However, that rebellion fell just three votes short of overturning the original postponement call. It wasn’t a meeting without controversy.Clare’s Robin Mounsey tries to get past Cork’s Conor O’Callaghan and Sean Twomey during a 2024 Munster Senior Hurling League clash at Páirc Uí Rinn, Co Cork. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho There were questions raised as to the actual number of delegates present when the vote took place in Croke Park. Those doubts ultimately necessitated a second electronic ballot to be arranged for later that night after officials had left GAA headquarters.The second vote returned a result of 57 per cent in favour of quashing the suspension of the competitions. However, that was still short of the 60 per cent required for the proposal to be successful. One of the GPA’s core arguments in not playing the pre-league competitions was to allow intercounty footballers and hurlers an adequate break from the game, with the players’ body advocating November as a zero-contact month.The return to collective training for last year was set for December 7th. However, there was anecdotal evidence of several teams breaking that regulation and resuming sessions before that date. Then, in January, the challenge-game circuit sparked to life. It stayed active up until the start of the National League.Connacht Council chairman John Prenty has been one of the leading advocates for the January competitions.“We are already planning for the FBD League,” he confirmed. “What was decided last year was to postpone them for one year, nothing more than that.”There have been problems in the past where some of the top counties did not participate, including occasions when the previous year’s All-Ireland champions were away on team holidays.However, the All-Ireland champions have more recently tended to arrange their holidays to take place before the turn of the year. Jack O’Connor’s Kerry are flying out in late October for their trip to Nashville and Puerto Rico.“There is an expectation the competitions will go ahead but nothing has been officially decided as of yet,” said Munster spokesman Dermot Lynch.The issue of the preseason competitions did not get top billing at Central Council’s meeting two weekends ago.Longford's Patrick Fox lifts the O’Byrne Cup following the team's victory against Dublin in the 2024 final at O'Moore Park, Co Laois. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho However, the matter is now to be discussed during a specially convened online summit before Special Congress on October 4th. The GAA stated: “It was decided to convene a single topic stand-alone meeting to confirm the dates around the close season and the return to training for intercounty players.”Given the apparent eagerness within the provincial councils to revive the competitions, it seems certain they will be played in 2026.But it is believed the GAA want to try bring about a degree of uniformity so the competitions all operate under comparable formats and with similar rules, where possible.For instance, permitting the use of unlimited subs. Also, in the case of a knock-out game finishing level, it would immediately go to a penalty shoot-out. “Not only are these competitions an opportunity for managers to blood new players, but over the years they have also been an opportunity for us to blood younger referees, which is very important. That is something which often gets lost in the discussion,” added McAvoy.Ulster and Connacht have been particularly vociferous in their desire to bring back the competitions, with Prenty previously saying their suspension in 2025 had cost the provincial council over €100,000 in revenue.Ulster chairman Michael Geoghegan suggested the lack of January competitions had cost them approximately £300,000 (€346,000).New Dublin football manager Ger Brennan has already said he would use the January competitions to cast an eye on younger players.“I would see the O’Byrne Cup as a developmental opportunity to look at up-and-coming players,” said Brennan. “Are you going to be playing some of your key guys in the O’Byrne Cup? You’re not, but you’re looking to try to unearth maybe four or five new fellas that could come in and add value to the set-up for the 2026 National League.”
