Shamrock Rovers and Derry City will meet in the President's Cup on 31 January. Andrew Paton/INPHO

League of Ireland Premier Division to kick off a week earlier in 2026

The men’s top-flight campaign will begin on 6 February in an effort to ease fixture congestion at the backend of the season.

THE LEAGUE OF Ireland men’s Premier Division will kick off a week earlier in 2026 in an effort to ease fixture congestion later in the season.

The men’s new campaign will start on Friday, 6 February, as opposed to mid-February which has been the case in recent seasons, while the women’s Premier Division will begin on Saturday, 14 March.

The men’s First Division will start a week later than the Premier Division on Friday, 13 February.

Fixtures for the new League of Ireland season will be released on Tuesday, 16 December.

Double winners Shamrock Rovers will face 2025 league runners-up Derry City in the curtain-raising President’s Cup at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday, 31 January, with kick-off at 5pm.

Next season’s men’s FAI Cup final will be held at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, 8 November, while the women’s equivalent showpiece will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday, 27 September.

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