All-Ireland Senior Football Championship facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All-Ireland Senior Football Championship |
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Current season or competition: 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship |
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| Irish | Craobh Shinsir Peile na hÉireann |
| Code | Gaelic football |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Region |  Ireland (31 teams) England (1 team) United States (1 team) (GAA) |
| Trophy | Sam Maguire Cup |
| No. of teams | 33 |
| Title holders |  Armagh (2nd title) |
| Most titles |  Kerry (38 titles) |
| Sponsors | Supervalu Allied Irish Bank Allianz |
| TV partner(s) | RTÉ, BBC Northern Ireland, Premier Sports, TG4 |
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) is the biggest competition in Gaelic football for men. Teams from different counties in Ireland (and some from outside!) play against each other. The team that wins is crowned the All-Ireland Champions.
This exciting championship is run by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It has been played almost every year since it started in 1887.
The final game is usually played in Croke Park in Dublin. The winning team gets to lift the famous Sam Maguire Cup.
Thirty-three teams currently take part in the All-Ireland Championship. Some of the most successful teams include Kerry, Dublin, Galway, and Cavan.
Nineteen different counties have won the title, and 17 of them have won it more than once! Kerry holds the record with 38 wins. Armagh are the current champions. They beat Galway in the 2024 final.
Contents
History of the Championship
How it all began
The very first championship was held in 1887. Back then, it was club teams that played, representing their counties. The first final was between Commercials from Limerick and Young Irelands from Louth. Commercials won the game, which was played in Dublin.
In 1892, a big change happened. Instead of clubs, teams made up of players from different clubs in a county started playing. This is how the inter-county teams we know today began! Also, the rules changed: a goal became worth five points, and teams were smaller, with 17 players instead of 21.
Kerry won their first All-Ireland title in 1903. They went on to become the most successful team ever in the championship.
Championship through the years
Unlike many other sports events around the world, the All-Ireland Championship has been played every year since 1887 (except for one year). It even continued through big events like the Civil War and the Second World War.
In the 1970s, some games were longer, lasting 80 minutes. But by 1975, they were set at 70 minutes, which is what they are today.
The 1990s saw a big change, with teams from the Ulster province winning four years in a row. Since then, Ulster has had more winning teams than any other province.
In 2001, the "Qualifiers" were added. This meant teams that didn't win their provincial championship could still have another chance to play for the All-Ireland title. This was sometimes called the "back door" route. In 2013, a cool technology called Hawk-Eye was introduced at Croke Park. It helps decide if a shot has gone over the bar for a point or wide.
More recently, the championship format has changed again. In 2018, the "Super 8s" were introduced, where the top teams played in groups. Then, in 2022, a new two-tier system began. This means some teams play in the main All-Ireland Championship, while others play in the Tailteann Cup, a second-tier competition.
How the Championship Works Now (Since 2023)
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship has a few stages. It starts with provincial championships, then moves to a group stage, and finally, a knockout stage.
Provincial Championships
Ireland is divided into four main regions called provinces: Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. Each province has its own championship.
- Connacht Championship: Seven teams compete. They play knockout games until a winner is found. Teams from London and New York also join this championship sometimes!
- Leinster Championship: Eleven teams compete in knockout games.
- Munster Championship: Six teams play in knockout games.
- Ulster Championship: Nine teams compete in knockout games.
The winners and runners-up from these provincial championships get a direct spot in the All-Ireland group stage.
All-Ireland Group Stage
After the provincial championships, 16 teams enter the All-Ireland group stage. These teams include:
- The 8 provincial finalists (winners and runners-up).
- The team that won the Tailteann Cup.
- The next 7 highest-ranked teams from the National Football League.
These 16 teams are split into four groups of four. Each team plays the others in their group once.
- The team that finishes first in each group goes straight to the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.
- The teams that finish second and third in each group go to the Preliminary Quarter-Finals.
- The team that finishes last in each group is out of the championship.
All-Ireland Knockout Stage
This is where the excitement really builds!
- Preliminary Quarter-Finals: The second-placed teams from the group stage play against the third-placed teams. The four winners move on.
- Quarter-Finals: The four group winners from the group stage join the four winners from the Preliminary Quarter-Finals. Four teams are eliminated here.
- Semi-Finals: The four winners from the Quarter-Finals play each other. Only two teams make it to the final!
- Final: The two best teams play in the All-Ireland Final. The winning team is crowned the All-Ireland Champions!
Championship Levels
Gaelic football has different levels of championships:
- Level 1: The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (33 counties).
- Level 2: The Tailteann Cup (17 counties).
- Level 3: The All-Ireland Junior Football Championship (10 counties).
Teams can move up or down between these levels based on how well they play.
Teams in the Championship
Thirty-three counties took part in the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Each county has its own home stadium where they play their games.
| County | Location | Stadium | Province | Position in 2024 Championship | Current Championship | First year in championship | In championship since | Provincial Titles | Last Provincial Title | Championship Titles | Last Championship Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Antrim |
Belfast | Corrigan Park | Ulster | Semi-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1890 | 10 | 1951 | 0 | — | |
| Armagh |
Armagh | Athletic Grounds | Ulster | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1890 | 14 | 2008 | 2 | 2024 | ||
 Carlow |
Carlow | Dr Cullen Park | Leinster | Group stage (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1897 | 1 | 1944 | 0 | — | |
 Cavan |
Cavan | Breffni Park | Ulster | Group stage | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1888 | 40 | 2020 | 5 | 1952 | |
 Clare |
Ennis | Cusack Park | Munster | Group stage | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 2 | 1992 | 0 | — | |
 Cork |
Cork | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | Munster | Preliminary quarter-finals | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 37 | 2012 | 7 | 2010 | |
 Derry |
Derry | Celtic Park | Ulster | Quarter-finals | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1904 | 9 | 2023 | 1 | 1993 | |
 Donegal |
Ballybofey | MacCumhaill Park | Ulster | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1906 | 11 | 2024 | 2 | 2012 | ||
 Down |
Newry | Páirc Esler | Ulster | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1904 | 12 | 1994 | 5 | 1994 | ||
 Dublin |
Donnycarney | Parnell Park | Leinster | Quarter-finals | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 63 | 2024 | 31 | 2023 | |
 Fermanagh |
Enniskillen | Brewster Park | Ulster | Quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1903 | 0 | — | 0 | — | |
 Galway |
Galway | Pearse Stadium | Connacht | Quarter-finals | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 50 | 2024 | 9 | 2001 | |
 Kerry |
Tralee | Austin Stack Park | Munster | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1889 | 85 | 2024 | 38 | 2022 | ||
 Kildare |
Newbridge | St Conleth's Park | Leinster | Quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1888 | 13 | 2000 | 4 | 1928 | |
 Laois |
Portlaoise | O'Moore Park | Leinster | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1888 | 6 | 2003 | 0 | — | ||
 Leitrim |
Carrick-on-Shannon | Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada | Connacht | Preliminary quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1906 | 2 | 1994 | 0 | — | |
 Limerick |
Limerick | Gaelic Grounds | Munster | Quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 1965 | 1 | 1896 | 2 | 1896 |
 London |
South Ruislip | McGovern Park | Britain | Preliminary quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1900 | 2022 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
 Longford |
Longford | Pearse Park | Leinster | Group stage (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1903 | 1 | 1968 | 0 | — | |
 Louth |
Drogheda | Drogheda Park | Leinster | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 8 | 1957 | 3 | 1957 | ||
 Mayo |
Castlebar | MacHale Park | Connacht | Preliminary quarter-finals | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1901 | 48 | 2021 | 3 | 1951 | |
 Meath |
Navan | Páirc Tailteann | Leinster | Group stage | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 21 | 2010 | 7 | 1999 | |
 Monaghan |
Clones | St Tiernach's Park | Ulster | Preliminary quarter-finals | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1888 | 16 | 2015 | 0 | — | |
 New York |
Bronx | Gaelic Park | North America | Preliminary quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1999 | 2022 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
 Offaly |
Tullamore | O'Connor Park | Leinster | Group stage (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1896 | 10 | 1997 | 3 | 1982 | |
 Roscommon |
Roscommon | Dr Hyde Park | Connacht | Quarter-finals | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1892 | 24 | 2019 | 2 | 1944 | |
 Sligo |
Sligo | Markievicz Park | Connacht | Semi-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Connacht Senior Football Championship | 1905 | 2021 | 3 | 2007 | 0 | — |
 Tipperary |
Thurles | Semple Stadium | Munster | Preliminary quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 10 | 2020 | 4 | 1920 | |
 Tyrone |
Omagh | Healy Park | Ulster | Preliminary quarter-finals | Ulster Senior Football Championship | 1890 | 16 | 2021 | 4 | 2021 | |
 Waterford |
Waterford | Walsh Park | Munster | Group stage (Tailteann Cup) | Munster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 1 | 1898 | 0 | — | |
 Westmeath |
Mullingar | Cusack Park | Leinster | Group stage | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1890 | 1 | 2004 | 0 | — | |
 Wexford |
Wexford | Chadwicks Wexford Park | Leinster | Group stage (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 10 | 1945 | 5 | 1918 | |
 Wicklow |
Aughrim | Aughrim County Ground | Leinster | Quarter-finals (Tailteann Cup) | Leinster Senior Football Championship | 1887 | 0 | — | 0 | — |
Main Venues
Many different stadiums across Ireland host championship games. The biggest and most important games, like the All-Ireland Final, are played at Croke Park in Dublin.
| Dublin | Thurles | Limerick | Killarney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croke Park | Semple Stadium | Gaelic Grounds | Fitzgerald Stadium |
| 53°21′38.70″N 6°15′4.80″W / 53.3607500°N 6.2513333°W | 52°40′55.91″N 7°49′30.40″W / 52.6821972°N 7.8251111°W | 52°40′12.50″N 8°39′15.10″W / 52.6701389°N 8.6541944°W | 52°3′58.75″N 9°30′28.56″W / 52.0663194°N 9.5079333°W |
| Capacity: 82,300 | Capacity: 45,690 | Capacity: 44,023 | Capacity: 38,000 |
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| Castlebar | Clones | ||
| MacHale Park | St Tiernach's Park | ||
| 53°51′13.92″N 9°17′3.93″W / 53.8538667°N 9.2844250°W | 54°11′8.04″N 7°13′57.86″W / 54.1855667°N 7.2327389°W | ||
| Capacity: 25,369 | Capacity: 29,000 | ||
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| Galway | Cork | Kilkenny | Cavan |
| 53°15′47.92″N 9°5′2.98″W / 53.2633111°N 9.0841611°W | 51°53′59.10″N 8°26′6.15″W / 51.8997500°N 8.4350417°W | 52°39′23.03″N 7°14′22.85″W / 52.6563972°N 7.2396806°W | 53°58′54.54″N 7°21′33.38″W / 53.9818167°N 7.3592722°W |
| Pearse Stadium | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | Nowlan Park | Breffni Park |
| Capacity: 26,197 | Capacity: 45,000 | Capacity: 27,000 | Capacity: 25,030 |
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All-Ireland Finals
The All-Ireland Finals are a huge deal in Ireland! Usually, in September, the finals for men's football, ladies' football, hurling, and camogie all happen at Croke Park. On final days, two games are played: the senior game (for adult teams) and the minor game (for players under 18). Important people like the President of Ireland often attend these events.
The men's football final is the biggest event of all. It regularly attracts over 80,000 fans! The winning team captain gets to lift the famous Sam Maguire Cup. The current champions are Kerry.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final was played in December, which was unusual.
Who Has Won the Most?
Top Winning Counties
| County | Title(s) | Runners-up | Winning years | Losing years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kerry |
38 | 24 | 1903, 1904, 1909, 1913, 1914, 1924, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2022 | 1892, 1905, 1910, 1915, 1923, 1927, 1938, 1944, 1947, 1954, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1982, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 |
| Dublin |
31 | 13 | 1891, 1892, 1894, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1942, 1958, 1963, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1995, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 | 1896, 1904, 1920, 1924, 1934, 1955, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1994 |
| Galway |
9 | 15 | 1925, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1998, 2001, | 1919, 1922, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1959, 1963, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1983, 2000, 2022, 2024 |
| Cork |
7 | 16 | 1890, 1911, 1945, 1973, 1989, 1990, 2010 | 1891, 1893, 1894, 1897, 1899, 1906, 1907, 1956, 1957, 1967, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2009 |
 Meath |
7 | 9 | 1949, 1954, 1967, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1999 | 1895, 1939, 1951, 1952, 1966, 1970, 1990, 1991, 2001 |
| Cavan |
5 | 6 | 1933, 1935, 1947, 1948, 1952 | 1925, 1928, 1937, 1943, 1945, 1949 |
| Wexford |
5 | 3 | 1893, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918 | 1890, 1913, 1914 |
| Down |
5 | 1 | 1960, 1961, 1968, 1991, 1994 | 2010 |
| Kildare |
4 | 5 | 1905, 1919, 1927, 1928 | 1926, 1929, 1931, 1935, 1998 |
| Tyrone |
4 | 3 | 2003, 2005, 2008, 2021 | 1986, 1995, 2018 |
| Tipperary |
4 | 1 | 1889, 1895, 1900, 1920 | 1918 |
| Mayo |
3 | 15 | 1936, 1950, 1951 | 1916, 1921, 1932, 1948, 1989, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 |
| Offaly |
3 | 3 | 1971, 1972, 1982 | 1961, 1969, 1981 |
| Louth |
3 | 3 | 1910, 1912, 1957 | 1887, 1909, 1950 |
| Roscommon |
2 | 3 | 1943, 1944 | 1946, 1962, 1980 |
| Armagh |
2 | 3 | 2002, 2024 | 1953, 1977, 2003 |
 Donegal |
2 | 1 | 1992, 2012 | 2014 |
| Limerick |
2 | 0 | 1887, 1896 | – |
| Derry |
1 | 1 | 1993 | 1958 |
| London |
0 | 5 | – | 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1908 |
| Laois |
0 | 2 | – | 1889, 1936 |
| Antrim |
0 | 2 | – | 1911, 1912 |
| Waterford |
0 | 1 | – | 1898 |
| Clare |
0 | 1 | – | 1917 |
| Monaghan |
0 | 1 | – | 1930 |
a. London got a bye to the final five times.
Records and Fun Facts
- Kerry is the most successful team, winning 38 titles. They even won four in a row twice!
- Dublin is second with 31 wins. They made history by winning five titles in a row from 2015 to 2019, and then a sixth in 2020!
- Galway was the first team from the western province of Connacht to win an All-Ireland title in 1925.
- Cavan was the first team from the northern province of Ulster to win in 1933.
- Two teams, Cork and Tipperary, have won both the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the same year! This is called "The Double."
- No team from outside Ireland has ever won the championship, but London has played in five finals!
- Armagh are the current champions, winning their second title in 2024.
Top Players
Player of the Year Awards
Here are some of the players who have been named "Player of the Year" recently:
| Year | Player | County |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | David Clifford |
Kerry |
| 2022 | David Clifford |
Kerry |
| 2021 | Kieran McGeary |
Tyrone |
| 2020 | Brian Fenton |
Dublin |
| 2019 | Stephen Cluxton |
Dublin |
| 2018 | Brian Fenton |
Dublin |
| 2017 | Andy Moran |
Mayo |
| 2016 | Lee Keegan |
Mayo |
| 2015 | Jack McCaffrey |
Dublin |
| 2014 | James O'Donoghue |
Kerry |
Players with Most Appearances
These players have played in the most All-Ireland Championship games:
| Rank | Player | Team | Appearances | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephen Cluxton |
Dublin | 111 | 2001–present |
| 2 | Seán Cavanagh |
Tyrone | 89 | 2002–2017 |
| 3 | Marc Ó Sé |
Kerry | 88 | 2002–2015 |
| 4 | Tomás Ó Sé |
Kerry | 88 | 1998–2013 |
| 5 | Colm Cooper |
Kerry | 85 | 2002–2016 |
| 6 | Andy Moran |
Mayo | 84 | 2004–2019 |
| 7 | Darragh Ó Sé |
Kerry | 81 | 1997–2010 |
| 8 | Ross Munnelly |
Laois | 79 | 2003–2022 |
| 9 | Aidan O'Shea |
Mayo | 78 | 2009–present |
| 10 | Tom O'Sullivan |
Kerry | 76 | 2000–2011 |
See Also
In Spanish: All-Ireland Football Championship para niños
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
- List of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal winners
- All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
- List of Gaelic games competitions
- Leinster Senior Football Championship
- Ulster Senior Football Championship
- Connacht Senior Football Championship
- Munster Senior Football Championship
- Tailteann Cup (Tier 2)
- All-Ireland Junior Football Championship (Tier 3)
