Kerry to host Donegal as draw made for All-Ireland football championship

Cork will welcome old rivals Meath on Leeside meanwhile. 

GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan makes the draw for the newly formatted championship.

A repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final between Kerry and Donegal is the highlight of today’s All-Ireland senior football championship round 1 draw.

Kerry will entertain Donegal in Fitzgerald Stadium on May 23 or 24, 13 or 14 days after this Sunday’s Munster SFC against Cork in Killarney.

That same May 23/24 weekend, Cork will face off at home against Meath in what will be their third meeting this season having clashed twice in Division 2, The Royals winning their final clash in Croke Park in March.

Galway have Roscommon on their minds in this Sunday’s Connacht SFC final but they will then turn their attentions to Kildare in Salthill on May 23/24.

That same weekend, Rossies will have a second home game in three weekends when Tyrone visit them in the opening round of the Sam Maguire Cup.

In the latter half of Round 1 on May 30/31, Leinster SFC semi-finalists Dublin and Louth will clash again after The Blues completed a comprehensive win over Gavin Devlin’s side in Portlaoise on Saturday.

As they look to win their first Ulster SFC title in 18 years against Monaghan in Clones on Sunday week, Armagh will face further Ulster opposition in the All-Ireland opening stage when Derry come to Box-It Athletic Grounds in the last weekend of the month.

Mayo will look to get back on track when they visit St Tiernach’s Park to take on Monaghan, while Westmeath and Cavan lock horns in Mullingar that same weekend.

The eight Round 1A winners will progress to Round 2A where the four victors will qualify for the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. The eight losers will meet in Round 2B where defeat will mean elimination.

The Round 2B winners advance to Round 3, which are the equivalent of four All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals.

Sam Maguire Cup 2026 fixtures 

Round 1 (first team have home advantage) 

May 23/24 

Cork v Meath 

Kerry v Donegal 

Galway v Kildare 

Roscommon v Tyrone 

May 30/31 

Armagh v Derry 

Monaghan v Mayo 

Dublin v Louth 

Westmeath v Cavan 

Round 2A, 2B (subject to draw, first team out of bowl have home advantage, repeat provincial final pairings avoided), June 13/14.

Four Round 1 winners x four Round 1 winners 

Four Round 1 losers v four Round 2 losers 

Round 3 (subject to draw, first team out of bowl have home advantage, repeat provincial final pairings avoided and, where possible, Round 1 pairings), June 20/21.

Four Round 2A losers v four Round 2B winners 

All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals (repeat provincial final pairings avoided and, where possible, Round 1 and 2 pairings), June 27/28.

Four Round 2A winners v Round 3 winners.

All-Ireland SFC semi-finals (repeat championship pairings avoided where possible), July 11 and 12.

All-Ireland SFC final, July 26.

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