Tailteann Cup Draw Scheduled for Monday Announcement

The draw for the first round of the 2026 Tailteann Cup will take place on Monday, April 27th, as confirmed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The event will be broadcast live as part of “The View” on GAA+, beginning at 1 pm, and will be available for free viewing on the GAA+ YouTube channel and the GAA’s official social media platforms.

Fifteen teams have been confirmed for the draw: Waterford, Wicklow, Sligo, London, Limerick, Laois, Leitrim, Tipperary, Fermanagh, Longford, Offaly, Antrim, Clare, Carlow, and Wexford. The sixteenth and final spot will be determined by the outcomes of provincial championship matches, with Westmeath, Down, or Cavan set to claim the remaining place depending on results from the weekend of May 2nd, and 3rd.

The draw will follow an open format, with eight first-round ties to be established. In each pairing, the team drawn first will receive home advantage for the match. The majority of these first-round fixtures are scheduled to be played over the weekend of May 9th and 10th. However, any game involving a team that is eliminated from its provincial championship on the weekend of May 2nd or 3rd will be rescheduled to the weekend of May 16th and 17th.

The GAA confirmed that the draw process will be overseen by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC), with procedural details to be finalised following the draw. The Tailteann Cup, now in its second year, continues to provide a competitive structure for teams not participating in the Sam Maguire Cup championship, offering a pathway to silverware and promotion within the Gaelic football hierarchy.

As of the announcement date, no further details regarding match venues, kick-off times, or potential broadcasting arrangements beyond the initial draw broadcast have been released. The GAA stated that full fixture information will be communicated by the CCCC after the draw concludes on Monday afternoon.