WITH TWO SEPARATE fixture lists disseminated in recent weeks, the FAI have today confirmed the format for the forthcoming League of Ireland First Division season. 

An initial fixture list was released in January, but was followed by an alternative, 11-team fixture list that included Limerick FC, pending approval of their licence application. Limerick didn’t apply for a senior league licence in the end, and the FAI have today confirmed a reversion to the initial 10-team fixtures list, which features a 27-game regular season. 

The League will begin on Friday week, 21 February as Bray Wanderers travel to Cabinteely, Wexford host U.C.D, Athlone Town head to Galway United and Longford Town welcome Shamrock Rovers II. Drogheda United will travel to St. Colman’s Park to face Cobh Ramblers on Saturday, 22 February. 

The winner of the League is automatically promoted to the Premier Division, with a play-off series determining who will face the side who finishes second from bottom of the top tier in a promotion/relegation play-off. 

There  is a slight change to the play-off format this year: it will now include the side that finishes fifth, having hitherto involved the second, third and fourth-placed sides only. 

The second-placed side will play the side that finishes fifth – with third squaring off against fourth – in a two-legged tie slated for Friday, 2 October. The return legs will place a week later. 

The winners of those ties will play a two-legged final across the following two Fridays, with the winners advancing to the final promotion/relegation play-off. That is a two-legged affair also, and will be played on Monday 26 October and Friday 30 October. 

The full fixture list is available here.