The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed a strategic change to its competitions calendar, which will see its major amateur and youth men's cup competitions transition from a winter season to an aligned calendar season.

This significant move will bring the schedules of our men's national competitions, such as the FAI Intermediate Cup and FAI Junior Cup, in line with the League of Ireland and the FAI’s women’s competitions, creating a more harmonised and streamlined structure for men's and women's domestic football in Ireland.

The national cup competitions included in this transition are:

·  FAI Intermediate Cup

·  FAI Junior Cup

·  FAI Oscar Traynor Trophy

·  FAI Youth Cup

·  FAI Youth Inter-League Cup

·  FAI Under-17 Cup

Additionally, several single-fixture or weekend-format men's competitions will be adapted to reflect the new aligned season schedule, including the FAI Amateur and Youth Inter-Provincial Tournaments and the FAI Tom Hand Memorial Cup.

To be eligible for participation in any FAI National Cup Competition, all clubs must have successfully achieved a minimum of the FAI Club Mark – Entry Level.

Ger McDermott, FAI Grassroots Director, said: "Aligning our major cup competitions is a strategic priority that will deliver benefits for everyone involved in the game. It helps us to create a more coherent and predictable schedule for players, coaches, volunteers and administrators, while also improving the pathway and connection between amateur football and our League of Ireland. We understand this is a significant change, and we thank our clubs and leagues for their cooperation as we navigate this transitional period together."

Fran Gavin, FAI Head of Competitions, commented: "This is a significant but necessary step towards modernising our competition structures. The logistical benefits of having all major national competitions running in parallel are key, allowing for a more manageable and simplified fixture calendar. The transitional 'hybrid' period will allow us to manage the change effectively, ensuring minimal disruption to clubs. We are already planning for the future and full details and competition dates will be communicated well in advance to allow clubs sufficient time to prepare. We look forward to launching the next editions of these competitions and seeing them thrive within this new, aligned framework."

The FAI can also confirm that entry for the next round of Men’s and Women’s National Cup Competitions will open at the end of 2025. Online entry forms will be circulated to all affiliated leagues for distribution to their clubs and will also be accessible directly via the FAI Connect platform.