The road to the Aviva Stadium begins now and your school is in with a chance at playing on the same pitch as our Irish international footballers.

Registrations are now open for the 2026 FAI Schools Primary 5s Programme with schools around the country encouraged to get involved.

Last year’s edition was the largest in the competition’s history with more than 44,000 players involved throughout the country with this year's finals set to take place once again at the home of Irish football; the Aviva Stadium.

FAI Schools Primary 5s is a fun five-a-side football programme that is the largest participation programme in primary schools in Ireland. Open to boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class, and also to children with disabilities, emphasis is placed on fun, inclusivity and fostering a passion for football.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

The programme has seven sections to cater for all school sizes:

•    Boys A Cup (Small Schools): For boys from small schools
•    Boys B Cup (Medium Schools): For boys from medium-sized schools
•    Boys C Cup  (Large Schools): For boys from larger schools
•    Girls A Cup (Small Schools): Girls from small schools
•    Girls B Cup (Medium Schools): Girls from medium-sized schools
•    Girls C Cup (Large Schools): Girls from larger schools
•    Football For All Cup: With players with additional needs 

There are separate competitions for boys and girls, with girls also permitted to play in the boys’ competitions.  

The programme boasts a phenomenal 45 per cent female participation rate as well as an increasing interest in the Football for All section (for players with additional needs / recognised disabilities).

The 2025 season marked a record-breaking year for the programme, engaging over 60,000 children across Ireland. A total of 44,104 children from 2,060 schools participated in the official competition on pitches nationwide. The programme's reach was significantly expanded by encouraging schools to run their own in-house tournaments, an initiative that brought a further 18,924 children into the game and underscored the commitment to getting more kids involved in football.

There will be 316 events as part of the national roll-out of the programme across the country. Registration for the programme will close on Friday, February 6th, 2026, and county blitzes will kick off at the start of February so act quickly and sign up online at https://faischoolsprimary5s.ie/

Winning schools progress from County level to Provincial Finals, with 28 schools making it to the National Finals, where the children will be playing on the same pitch as Ireland’s International players, the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on Wednesday, May 27th. 

 
Schedule of Events

Mainstream Schedule:
Mid-Leinster Finals: Tuesday, 28th April, Kilcullen Community Centre, Co. Kildare
North Leinster Finals:  Wednesday, 29th April, MDL Grounds Navan, Co. Meath
South-Leinster Finals: Thursday, 30th April, Curracloe Utd, Co. Wexford
Leinster Finals:  Tuesday, May 5th, MDL Grounds Navan, Co. Meath
Ulster Finals: Wednesday, May 6th, Letterkenny Community Centre, Co. Donegal
Munster Finals: Wednesday, May 6th (Girls) & Thursday, May 7th (Boys), Cahir Park AFC, Co. Tipperary
Connacht Finals: Wednesday May 6th (Girls) & Thursday, May 7th (Boys), Umbro Park, Milebush, Castlebar, Co.Mayo F23 CV08
National Finals: Wednesday, 27th May, Aviva Stadium
 
Football For All Schedule:
Munster Finals: Wednesday, March 4th Fermoy FC, Co. Cork
Ulster Finals: Wednesday, May 6th, Letterkenny Community Centre, Co. Donegal
Leinster Finals:  Wednesday, April 15th, Hartstown-Hunstown FC, Co. Dublin
Connacht Finals: N/A
National Finals: Wednesday, May 27th, Aviva Stadium