The dust has long settled on the 2025 All-Ireland campaign and the 2026 Gaelic football season is starting to take shape. New managers are bedding in, new players are doing likewise, and counties are preparing themselves for another tough season.
Power rankings aren’t just about predicting who will lift Sam in July. They’re a snapshot of where things stand right now, perceived momentum, depth, and direction of travel. Some teams look as if they’ve no problems, while others look like they need major surgery.
With that in mind, we’ve ranked the 33 teams vying for Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup glory in 2026.
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Power Ranking All 33 Inter-County Gaelic Football Teams Ahead Of 2026
1. Kerry
There was really only one choice.
After Jack O’Connor’s retirement U-turn, he remains in charge and the reigning All-Ireland champions have added Kieran Donaghy to their backroom team. Another shorter club season will surely help David Clifford as the three time Footballer of the Year looks to add a third All-Ireland medal to his CV.
Kerry struggled with injuries in the championship and you feel if they manage to keep everybody on the field this year they’ll be hard stopped from claiming a 40th Sam Maguire title.
2. Donegal
Donegal in Jim McGuinness’s second tenure have built steadily. An All-Ireland semi final appearance in 2024 before a final appearance in 2025 along with two Ulster titles means they’ll have eyes only for Sam Maguire in 2026.
The loss of captain Patrick McBrearty will be one they will feel on the field and in the dressing room, but they have plenty of leaders to try plug that gap. With young talent in the guise of Finnbarr Roarty and the experience of Michael Murphy they’ll not be far away in 2026.
3. Armagh
Armagh under Kieran McGeeney have been a remarkable case, McGeeney slowly but surely has rebuilt his home county from a Division 3 side to All-Ireland champions. The quarter-final defeat to Kerry was particularly chastening but for large spells of the championship they looked poised to retain Sam Maguire.
The development of Darragh McMullen is something to watch in 2026. McMullen had an impressive senior debut this year followed by inspiring his club Madden to their maiden Armagh title and he will be very important as Armagh look to secure the provincial glory which has eluded them thus far.
4. Tyrone
Tyrone showed plenty of potential in 2025 and with the likes of Eoin McElholm and the Canavan brothers they possess the firepower needed to cause any defence problems.
They found the going too tough against Kerry in a semi-final but another year under the shrewd guidance of Malachy O’Rourke will be vital for their development as a team. Another U20 All-Ireland winning team will also help to bolster their ranks.
Don’t write them off, or maybe do, they like that.
5. Dublin
A new look management team under Ger Brennan will aim to get Dublin back on top in Leinster and competing for Sam Maguire again. Retirements of John Small and Stephen Cluxton will hurt but there is still a massive amount of talent among their ranks with Con O’Callaghan, Brian Howard and Cormac Costello leading the charge.
An All-Ireland title isn’t out of their grasp if they can keep everybody fit but that has been an issue in the past.
6. Galway
Galway under Padraic Joyce are a bit of an enigma, they have won four Connacht titles in a row and have been to two All-Ireland finals but you feel they have underachieved. The 2024 final defeat to Armagh definitely hurt them and in 2025 they looked to be going really well but a home defeat to Dublin seemed to unsettle them before they eventually were shocked by Meath in a quarter-final.
Their inability to get Shane Walsh and Damien Comer on the field at the same time has proved frustrating but if they pick up momentum they won’t be far away. The emergence of Matthew Thompson was the highlight of the year.
7. Meath
Two losses to Louth cost Meath an almost perfect season in 2025. A final round league loss stopped their promotion to Division 1 before a heartbreaking defeat in the Leinster final ripped provincial glory from their grasp. Meath showed great resilience to bounce back, top their All-Ireland group and stun Galway to make a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009.
They were overran on that day by Donegal and it may take another year under Robbie Brennan before they can breach that top six but they’ll be a big threat in Leinster and the All-Ireland series.
8. Monaghan
Monaghan as per usual went about their business with very little fuss in 2025. They got back into Division 1 and topped their All-Ireland group. A poor second half against Donegal saw them exit the championship at the quarter-final stages.
The retirements of Karl O’Connell, Kieran Duffy and Darren Hughes along with the exit of coach Andy Moran sees Monaghan looking a touch unfamiliar going into 2026 but they’ve got one of the biggest weapons in the game in Rory Beggan and the return of Karl Gallagher from the AFL is a big boost.
Nobody will get anything easy from Monaghan.
9. Derry
Derry have been in a strange form of purgatory since they lost the 2023 All-Ireland semi-final to Kerry but under the guidance of their new manager Ciarán Meenagh and a reasonably kind draw in Ulster you would give them a decent chance of being in an Ulster final.
There is too much talent in this Derry panel to write them off completely. A spring in Division 2 might give them a chance to gain some badly needed momentum ahead of the championship. The likes of Conor Glass, Shane McGuigan and Brendan Rodgers are just some of the stars that Meenagh has at his disposal.
10. Mayo
One of the biggest criticisms thrown at Mayo in 2025 was they didn’t have the ability to kick 2-point scores. New manager Andy Moran has delved into the contacts book and managed to entice back Cillian O’Connor, the top scorer in championship football and goalkeeper Rob Hennelly, a noted long range free taker.
The return of forwards Tommy Conroy and James Carr could also prove important as Mayo look to take the pressure off Ryan O’Donoghue. They’ll be aiming for a Connacht title and a return to Croke Park in championship football and maybe we’ll get a glimpse of Kobe McDonald.
11. Down
Down are steadily improving under Conor Laverty and produced some impressive displays in 2025. They ran Galway very close in Newry and with the return of Liam Kerr to the panel they possess incredible pace and running power.
They were unlucky to be relegated from Division 2 on six points in 2025 and the kind of team that you won’t want to see coming in the height of the summer. Expect another big year from Odhran Murdock as he looks ready to really explode on to the scene in 2026.
12. Louth
2025 was a magical year for Louth, they survived in Division 2 with an injury hit squad before ending a 67 year drought for provincial success. An All-Star award followed for captain Sam Mulroy but the loss of manager Ger Brennan will surely have an impact even though Gavin Devlin will know the players well having been Mickey Harte’s number 2 during his spell in charge.
It could be tough for them to reach the heights of 2025 again but there is plenty of talent in the form of Craig Lennon, Tommy Durnin and the aforementioned Mulroy.
13. Cork
It is always hard to know what we’re going to get from Cork, their footballers have often been the poor relation compared to their hurling counterparts. The return of Stephen Sherlock and his potential to score from outside the arc is a massive bonus for manager John Cleary.
Cork put up a great show against Kerry in Munster before surrendering meekly to the same opposition in the group phase, they managed to take out Roscommon in Portlaoise and put up a fight before losing out to Dublin in a preliminary quarter-final. We’ll have to wait and see.
14. Roscommon
Roscommon have underwent a winter of change. They’ve lost their manager Davy Burke and replaced him with local man Mark Dowd along with coach Jason Sherlock. The loss of Donie Smith, Niall Daly and Ciaráin Murtagh to retirement will have hurt the Rossies but may give opportunities for their U20 Connacht champions of 2024 to progress into the senior team.
St Brigids extended run in the club championships may hurt their early league form which could be damaging under a new manager. On the same side of the draw as Mayo in the Connacht championship.
15. Cavan
Cavan were within one score of promotion to Division 1 but after that the wheels came off slightly. A poor Ulster performance against Tyrone before they shipped heavy defeats to Donegal, Tyrone again and Kerry in Killarney. These defeats were broken up by a really impressive win in Castlebar against Mayo so you don’t really know what you will get with Cavan.
New manager Dermot McCabe knows Cavan football better than anybody and will have his eyes on promotion from Division 2 and a couple of championship upsets.
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16. Kildare
Kildare did what they had to do in winning the Tailteann cup with a fairly minimal amount of fuss. With Leinster now feeling more open than it has in years they will be targeting at least a final appearance. Kildare find themselves on the same side as Meath but have managed to avoid Dublin and Louth so will quietly fancy themselves to make it back to a provincial decider.
The retirement of Niall Kelly is a loss but the emergence of young talent like Ryan Sinkey showed signs of Kildare’s various talented underage sides beginning to break through.
17. Clare
Clare missed out on promotion from Division 3 on scoring difference and made another Munster final in 22025. They found the going too tough in the All-Ireland series and this season they are due to face Kerry in the Munster semi-final.
This means that barring a big upset, Clare will have to secure promotion in the league to reach the All-Ireland series. If they end up in the Tailteann Cup they will be one of the favourites to win it out.
18. Westmeath
Westmeath were very unlucky to not pick up more than their solitary point in Division 2, a last minute goal and a touch of hooter controversy in their clash with Meath cost them a valuable two points in the early rounds and their luck continued to desert them and they never regathered form before eventually being stunned late on by Wicklow in the Tailteann Cup.
The continued absence of Ronan O’Toole who is currently in Australia is a huge loss but the form of Luke Loughlin means should they find themselves in the Tailteann again they have a great chance of silverware. Mark McHugh’s first step into management is one to watch.
19. Offaly
Offaly under Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly are back in Division 2 and will be keen to stay there as a run to the Leinster final will probably require wins over Meath and Kildare.
The loss of youngster Cillian Bourke to AFL side Essendon is a killer blow as he looked set to be a star at this level. The retirement of Ruairí McNamee is a loss for having already lost Nigel Dunne midway through 2025. Staying in Division 2 would be a big achievement for The Faithful county in 2026.
20. Fermanagh
Fermanagh went big in the managerial market appointing former Donegal manager Declan Bonner. Bonner had led Erne Gaels to glory in the Fermanagh championship so he knows the local scene.
The loss of Che and Lee Cullen will definitely be felt at the back but Bonner is a shrewd operator and you expect him to get the most out of the Erne county in 2026. Ran Kildare reasonably close in a Tailteann Cup semi-final in 2025.
21. Sligo
Sligo made good strides under the management of Tony McEntee but his reign had probably ran it’s course. After their Tailteann semi-final defeat in 2024, they would have hoped to make it back to Croke Park in 2025 but fell short of that.
The loss of Sean Carrabine to Australia has hurt in recent times but with Niall Murphy among their ranks they possess one of the most dangerous forwards in Division 3 and will be targeting a run at promotion under Dessie Sloyan and Eamonn O’Hara.
22. Laois
Laois avoided relegation narrowly in Division 3 and went down rather meekly to Westmeath in the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final in 2025. With Justin McNulty returning for a third year in charge he will be hoping to build on their championship wins over Waterford and Offaly with that win over their neighbours a real highlight.
The long range kicking of goalkeeper Killian Roche is a weapon that could set them apart.
23. Wexford
Wexford started 2025 on fire, they won all their league games to get out of Division 4 before losing out to Limerick in Croke Park.
The loss of Glen Malone that day was a blow and the form of Malone along with keeper Darragh Brooks and will be important for them in 2026. The Hughes brothers, Cian and Paudie will also be key as John Hegarty’s side look to retain their Division 3 status.
24. Limerick
Limerick had a fantastic year in 2025, a Division 4 league title and a Tailteann Cup final appearance for Jimmy Lee’s men was top notch stuff. The loss of stalwart Ian Corbett to retirement and goalkeeper Josh Ryan who suffered a serious injury playing for his club will sting.
In particular Ryan who had shown how much of a weapon he could be with his long range free-taking. Interesting to see how they cope with more expectation.
25. Antrim
Antrim had a disappointing 2025, relegation from Division 3 and only one win from four Tailteann Cup games with that coming against London. That saw the end of manager Andy McEntee’s spell over the Saffron county.
Former Slaughtneil boss Mark Doran was appointed manager in August and he’ll be looking to get them straight back into Division 3. A strong performance at home to Armagh was a chink of light with Patrick McBride and Ryan McQuillan catching the eye that day.
26. Wicklow
2025 was a year of nearly for Wicklow. Missing out on promotion from Division 4 on scoring difference and throwing away a second-half lead in a Tailteann Cup semi-final to Limerick.
They have some very talented footballers in the guise of full-back Malachy Stone, forward Oisín McGraynor and everybody knows the talent goalie Mark Jackson possesses from dead balls. Oisín McConville will want more consistency from his side this year as they look to get back to Division 3.
27. Leitrim
Leitrim made national headlines when they conceded a Division 3 game to Fermanagh in March due to a lack of available players. 2025 was a tough year for Leitrim but they’ll take solace from their Tailteann win over Tipperary and a battling performance against Mayo in Connacht.
UCD Sigerson captain Barry McNulty is their star player and the Glencar/Manorhamilton man will need some support if Stephen Poacher’s side are to emerge from a competitive Division 4.
28. Carlow
Carlow bounced back from the sudden resignation of Shane Curran to consolidate in Division 4. With talk of trouble in the camp, former Naas and Eire Óg manager Joe Murphy did a good job of steadying the ship and securing a massive win against Fermanagh in Brewster Park, before they eventually went down to Sligo away from home.
They scored 3-18 in the win over Fermanagh and with the running power of Mikey Bambrick in their side they’ll give plenty of teams problems as they look to make a promotion push.
29. Longford
Longford struggled in 2025 picking up just two league wins over London and Waterford. It didn’t get much easier in the championship, losses to Wexford and Fermanagh meant that by the time they defeated Carlow in Tullamore they were already eliminated from the championship.
The retirement of veteran goalkeeper Paddy Collum is a loss but a second year in charge for Mike Solan means that with some continuity you would expect improvements.
30. Tipperary
2025 was a disappointing year for Tipperary, a late home win over Longford in the early rounds of Division 4 along with league and championship wins over Waterford were the only bright spots. They struggled in their Tailteann Cup group, failing to pick up any points and providing Leitrim with their only win of the year.
Niall Fitzgerald has taken over as manager following the tragic passing of Philly Ryan, Fitzgerald will be looking to Sean O’Connor to do the bulk of their scoring.
31. London
London always have an element of surprise when the league rolls around and their manager Michael Maher will be doing his best to gather the strongest panel he can. A trip to Ruislip is always a tricky prospect for Division 4 teams and London ran multiple sides close in 2025, beating Wicklow at home and losing to Longford and Carlow by a point.
A win away to Tipperary was a standout result but three Tailteann Cup defeats to Limerick, Westmeath and Antrim meant their season petered out.
32. Waterford
Waterford under Paul Shankey looked to be making some progress when they secured their first championship win over Tipperary since 1988 and then beating Longford in the Tailteann Cup in 2024, but in 2025 they took a backward step with their sole victory coming at home to London in the league.
Cork man Ephie Fitzgerald is back in charge having managed Waterford in 2022 and 23. In that time Waterford only picked up one win across two seasons so he will be hoping to improve on those fortunes. A good start at home to Longford in the league will be crucial.
33. New York
As always with New York, the lack of league football really hinders their championship prep. They continue to have that surprise element when it comes to the players available to them and have ran Sligo close along with beating Leitrim on penalties in recent years.
Roscommon will make the trip stateside in 2026 and it’s hard to see the Division 2 side getting caught out in that game but the potential for a Tailteann cup shock is still there if they can muster up a strong travelling panel.
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