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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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GAA president Jarlath Burns
GAA president Jarlath Burns has strongly hinted at significant changes to the format of next year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC).
The current All-Ireland group stage, which has just concluded, required 24 matches to eliminate only four teams—Westmeath, Cavan, Clare, and Meath—from the competition for the Sam Maguire.
After conducting the draw for the upcoming All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, Burns acknowledged that there is an issue needing resolution and suggested that the championship should involve more "jeopardy".
Over the past weekend, Roscommon, Derry, and Monaghan each secured their first championship victories of the season, yet all three have advanced to the last 12.
With the preliminary quarter-finals taking place this weekend, we will then see four more teams dumped out from the championship with the quarter-finals taking place the week after.
“That is the format of this championship,” Burns told Morning Ireland listeners. “We’re doing consultations at the moment with the provinces. Last week we were in Leinster and Munster; this week we’re in Ulster and Connacht. We will then discuss it at our next Ard Chomhairle meeting.
“One of the themes that’s coming through really is the lack of jeopardy. A lot of people – and I share this view – (believe) that the league is there as a development competition. You’ve seven games that allows teams to make incremental developments and improvements,” he expanded.
“The championship should have jeopardy. It should be more of a blunt instrument. The clue is in the title of the competition – the championship is there to get the champions.
“And while we have a great competition within that now which is the Tailteann Cup, one of the major themes that’s emerging from this is there should be a lot more jeopardy. There should be more winning, more losing – more disappointments, more triumphs.
“And I think that’s what next year’s championship will look more like.”
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