Irish football fans have long followed their domestic league with passion, even as attention often drifts toward the Premier League across the water. But the League of Ireland holds its own story—one that runs from 1921 to the present day, featuring promotion battles, a growing women’s division, and plans for structural change. Whether you’re checking on your club’s latest result or trying to understand how the Irish football pyramid actually fits together, this guide breaks it all down with verified facts and clear structure.
Founded: 1921 · Number of clubs (men’s senior): 20 (as of 2024) · Current Premier Division champions (2024): Shelbourne FC · Most league titles: Shamrock Rovers (21) · Governing body: Football Association of Ireland (FAI)
Quick snapshot
- Exact launch date for the new National League third tier beyond 2026.
- Future club numbers per division after the third tier takes effect in 2026.
- Precise promotion and relegation mechanics between the new tier and the First Division.
- 1921: League founded as single division. (Wikipedia)
- 1985: Two-tier system introduced (Premier Division and First Division). (Wikipedia)
- 2026: New National League third tier scheduled to launch. (Wikipedia)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Official name | SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division (top tier) |
| Number of senior men’s clubs | 20 |
| Number of women’s clubs | 11 |
| Most successful club | Shamrock Rovers (21 titles) |
| Governing body | Football Association of Ireland (FAI) |
What is the League of Ireland?
The League of Ireland is the national association football league in the Republic of Ireland, sitting at the top of the Irish football pyramid. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) through its League of Ireland department based at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Dublin. The league has operated continuously since its founding in 1921, making it one of the oldest football leagues in the world.
Origins and governance
The league began in 1921 as a single-division competition. For over six decades, clubs competed without a formal tiered structure. That changed in 1985 when the FAI reorganised the competition into two tiers: the Premier Division and the First Division. The 2024 season marked the 40th season of the Premier Division as Ireland’s top flight since that restructuring.
Today, the FAI administers three senior competitions under the League of Ireland banner: the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division, and the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division. Below these sit academy leagues at U14, U15, U17, and U19/U20 levels. The Republic of Ireland football league system spans 12 levels in total, with the League of Ireland’s top two tiers occupying the summit.
Structure overview
Clubs must hold official licences to participate in either the Men’s Premier Division, Men’s First Division, or Women’s Premier Division. These licences reflect minimum standards in finance, facilities, and governance. Below the League of Ireland, provincial senior competitions such as the Leinster Senior League and Munster Senior League function as feeder competitions that feed into the national pyramid.
What divisions does the League of Ireland have?
The men’s senior league operates across two national tiers, while the women’s league functions as a separate but affiliated competition.
Premier Division
The Premier Division is the top tier of Irish football. Ten clubs compete in each season, playing every other team four times (twice at home, twice away) for a total of 36 league matches per club. The 2024 season featured eight clubs retained from 2023 plus two promoted from the First Division.
One team is directly relegated from the Premier Division at season’s end, with an additional club potentially relegated through a promotion/relegation play-off against a First Division side. The champions receive the highest prize money in the domestic game, with €125,000 allocated for title winners in 2026 distributions.
First Division
The First Division serves as the second tier, also comprising ten clubs. The champions earn direct promotion to the Premier Division, with further promotion possible through play-offs involving the second through fifth-placed First Division clubs and the ninth-placed Premier Division side. Amateur teams remain part of the First Division, giving the tier a semi-professional character distinct from the Premier Division.
Cork City won the 2024 First Division with 78 points from 36 matches, recording 22 wins, 12 draws, and just 2 losses. They earned automatic promotion. UCD, Wexford, and Athlone Town qualified for the promotion play-offs.
Women’s Premier Division
The Women’s Premier Division operates under the same League of Ireland banner but functions separately from the men’s competitions. The women’s league featured 11 clubs as of 2024 and continues its push toward full professional status. The women’s champions receive €15,000 in prize money under planned 2026 distributions.
The League of Ireland runs three senior competitions: two men’s tiers with ten clubs each, plus an expanding women’s division. The gap between tiers is bridged by promotion play-offs, creating stakes beyond the title race.
Who are the current League of Ireland champions?
2024 Premier Division winner
Shelbourne FC were champions of the 2024 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, finishing top of the table over 36 rounds. This marked a significant achievement for a club that has experienced financial turbulence in recent years. The title solidified Shelbourne’s place among Ireland’s elite clubs.
Meanwhile, Dundalk finished bottom of the Premier Division table and were relegated to the First Division, with Drogheda United occupying the promotion/relegation play-off spot.
Shelbourne’s 2024 triumph demonstrates that clubs outside the traditional powerhouses can compete for the title, even with limited resources compared to clubs like Shamrock Rovers, who hold 21 league titles overall.
How many teams are in the League of Ireland?
Men’s senior teams
The men’s senior league fields 20 clubs across two divisions, with ten clubs in each tier as of 2024. Each club plays 36 matches per season under the standard four-match format. The total pool of 20 clubs represents the national senior structure, supplemented by academy teams and underage leagues.
Women’s teams
The Women’s Premier Division currently features 11 clubs, reflecting the league’s continued expansion. The women’s game operates on a separate calendar and governance track from the men’s divisions, though both fall under the FAI’s League of Ireland umbrella.
When does the League of Ireland season start?
Season timeline
The League of Ireland season typically runs from February to November, aligning with the calendar year rather than the August-to-May format used in most European leagues. The 2024 First Division season opened on 16 February 2024 and concluded in October 2024. This winter-to-autumn schedule mirrors other Nordic and Baltic leagues, accommodating Ireland’s climate and allowing clubs to avoid competing directly with the busier summer schedules of leagues across the water.
Fixture release
Fixtures are released by the FAI in advance of each season, with the full schedule published on the official League of Ireland website. Fans can access match dates, kick-off times, and venue details through the league’s digital platforms. The FAI coordinates with clubs to minimize scheduling conflicts and accommodate international call-ups.
The total prize money pool across men’s and women’s competitions reached €765,000 in 2024, representing a 17% increase from the previous year, according to reporting by The42. The winners of the Premier Division receive €125,000, First Division champions receive €38,000, and Women’s Premier Division winners receive €15,000 under planned 2026 distributions.
The February-to-November calendar gives Irish clubs a distinctive rhythm. For fans planning attendance, the summer months (June through August) typically offer the strongest matchdays, with better weather and school holidays increasing attendance.
What we know—and what we don’t
The League of Ireland’s core structure is well documented: two men’s tiers with ten clubs each, a women’s division with eleven clubs, and a clear promotion/relegation mechanism. The FAI’s official overview and Wikipedia’s extensive coverage provide consistent data on clubs, matches, and governance.
However, the picture becomes less clear when looking ahead. The FAI announced plans in 2024 to launch a new national third tier in 2026, but the precise launch date remains unspecified. The new National League is slated to contain 20 clubs split into two regional conferences of ten teams each (North and South), but exactly how promotion and relegation will work between the new tier and the existing First Division has not been finalised. Similarly, the long-term club count per division after 2026 remains uncertain.
The amateur versus semi-professional status of First Division clubs also lacks comprehensive classification. While RTÉ has noted that amateur teams remain part of the First Division, a full breakdown of each club’s professional status is not publicly available.
The proposed National League is not simply a renamed or reshuffled second division. The FAI has clarified that it is a distinct third tier connecting grassroots and non-league football to the professional game. Clubs and fans should not assume existing promotion pathways will simply extend downward unchanged.
What the governing body says
The new third tier is not a second division of the League of Ireland but rather a distinct third tier connecting grassroots football to the professional game.
— FAI strategic plan, reported by The42 (2024)
The FAI officially announced plans in 2024 to launch a new third tier in 2026, linking grassroots and non-league football to the League of Ireland more directly.
— FAI announcement, reported by The42 (2024)
The bottom line
The League of Ireland operates as a two-tier men’s league and growing women’s division under FAI governance, with roots stretching back to 1921 and a restructured two-division format since 1985. Twenty men’s clubs across Premier Division and First Division compete each season, with promotion, relegation, and play-offs maintaining competitive stakes throughout the campaign. A new National League third tier is planned for 2026, promising to reshape the lower reaches of the Irish football pyramid.
For Irish football fans, the choice is straightforward: follow the league through the official League of Ireland channels for fixtures and tables, check The42 and RTÉ Sport for in-depth coverage, and watch how the 2026 restructuring plays out. For clubs outside the current top two tiers, the pathway to professional football is set to become clearer—but not yet.
The League of Ireland’s upcoming restructuring means clubs and supporters should prepare for a significantly different football landscape by 2026, with the FAI positioned to reshape how grassroots football connects to the professional game.
en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, extratime.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, tribuna.com, de.wikipedia.org, tribuna.com, the42.ie, transfermarkt.com, riksrapport.se
For a detailed look at how the season concluded, check the final 2024 Premier Division standings that decided the championship.
Frequently asked questions
How can I buy tickets for League of Ireland matches?
Tickets for League of Ireland matches can be purchased directly through individual club websites or at stadium gates on matchday. Prices vary by club and competition, with derby matches and cup ties typically commanding higher attendance than regular season games.
What is the difference between the Premier Division and the First Division?
The Premier Division is the top tier of Irish football, featuring clubs that meet higher licensing standards and receive greater prize money. The First Division is the second tier, containing a mix of semi-professional and amateur clubs with lower average budgets and a path to promotion through play-offs.
Are League of Ireland matches televised?
Some League of Ireland matches are broadcast live on RTÉ and through streaming platforms. The FAI has increased coverage in recent years, but most games are not televised, making matchday attendance the primary way to follow clubs in person.
How does promotion and relegation work?
One team is directly promoted from the First Division as champions, with additional promotion possible through play-offs involving the second through fifth-placed First Division clubs and the ninth-placed Premier Division side. In the Premier Division, one team is directly relegated, and another may be relegated through the play-off route.
Can clubs from Northern Ireland play in the League of Ireland?
No. The League of Ireland covers clubs in the Republic of Ireland only. Northern Irish clubs compete in their own league system, governed by the Irish Football Association (IFA). The two football jurisdictions remain separate despite sharing the island of Ireland.
What is the FAI Cup?
The FAI Cup (also known as the FAI Senior Cup) is the primary knockout competition in Irish football. All senior clubs in the League of Ireland system are eligible to enter, making it the broadest national trophy in the country. The cup provides smaller clubs with a chance to face top-tier opposition in a single-elimination format.
How do I find League of Ireland fixtures and results?
The official League of Ireland website (leagueofireland.ie) publishes fixtures, results, and league tables for all three senior competitions. The site also lists venue information, kick-off times, and ticket details. Social media accounts for individual clubs and the FAI provide additional updates throughout the season.
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Ingrid Malmstrom
Senior Football Editor — Ingrid Malmstrom oversees club, league, and player profile coverage. Her editorial focus is European football, historical records, and ensuring that profiles are clearly sourced, consistently structured, and regularly updated.