// Workers AI · dad joke modeWill the 2026 FAI Cup go to a good team? Cup-idly hoping so.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Republic of Ireland |
| Dates | 10 May – 8 November 2026 |
| Teams | 44 |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 38 |
All statistics correct as of 2 April 2026. | |
The 2026 FAI Cup, known as the Club Orange FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the 106th edition of the Republic of Ireland's primary domestic association football cup competition. It features teams from the League of Ireland Premier Division and the First Division, as well as teams from the regional leagues of the Republic of Ireland football league system.[2]
RTÉ are to broadcast a record number of FAI Cup ties including one second round fixture, one third round fixture, two quarter-final fixtures, both semi-final fixtures, and the final.[3]
The 2026 FAI Cup winners are set to enter the first qualifying round of the 2027–28 UEFA Europa League.[4]
Round and dates
[edit]| Round | Draw date | Match dates | Number of fixtures | Teams | New entries this round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | 2 April | 10–23 May | 12 | 44 → 32 | 24 |
| Second Round | 3 June | 17-19 July | 16 | 32 → 16 | 20 |
| Third Round | 21 July | 14-16 August | 8 | 16 → 8 | None |
| Quarter-finals | TBC | 25-27 September | 4 | 8 → 4 | |
| Semi-finals | TBC | 11-13 October | 2 | 4 → 2 | |
| Final | — | 8 November | 1 | 2 → 1 |
Teams
[edit]The 2026 FAI Cup is a knockout competition with 44 teams taking part. The competitors consist of the 20 teams from the League of Ireland and 24 teams from the regional leagues of the Republic of Ireland football league system.
First round
[edit]The first round consisted of the clubs who reached the last 16 of the 2025 FAI Intermediate Cup and the eight quarter-finalists from the 2025 FAI Junior Cup.[5]
| 10 May | Bangor Celtic | 4–1 | Rivervalley Rangers | Crumlin, Dublin 12 |
| 11:00 | Daniel Mullen  18'Troy Stedman 29'Hayden Roche 70'Cian Maher 90+1' |
Report | Chris Burgess 4' |
Stadium: Transport Club Attendance: 56 Referee: Alan Carey |
| 14 May | Midleton | 2–0 | Mayfield United | Midleton, County Cork |
| 20:00 | Jake Hegarty 57' 90+3' |
Report | Stadium: Knockgriffin Park Referee: Allan Martin |
| 15 May | Wayside Celtic | 3–4 | St Mochta's | Kilternan, Dublin 18 |
| 19:45 | Cormac Kelly 14' 71' Sean Schutte 27' |
Report | Billy Gilmore 4' Michael Scott 41'Aaron Robinson 45'Chris Lotefa 67' |
Stadium: Jackson Park Referee: David Gallagher |
| 16 May | Liffey Wanderers | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p) | Ringmahon Rangers | Ringsend, Dublin 4 |
| 13:00 | Evan Harte 62' |
Report | Luke Kiely 75' |
Stadium: Irishtown Stadium Attendance: 152 Referee: Declan Troy |
| 16 May | St Michael's | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Janesboro | Tipperary, County Tipperary |
| 14:00 | Luke Ryan  86'  Daniel O'Dwyer 90+1'Colin Bargary 119' |
Report | Josh O'Rahilly 12' Gavin Carrig  75'Shane Clarke 85'Eoghan Brady 89' Dylan Moriarty 98' 120+4' (pen.) |
Stadium: Cooke Park Referee: Michael Corrigan |
| 16 May | Castlebar Celtic | w/o | North End United | Castlebar, County Mayo |
| 17:00 | Report | Stadium: Celtic Park | ||
| Note: Castlebar Celtic advance as North End United withdraw citing fixture congestion | ||||
| 16 May | Fairview Rangers | 0–3 | Tolka Rovers | Garryowen, County Limerick |
| 17:00 | Report | Tyrick Reilly 18' Dylan Fox 56'Ryan Boyle 90' |
Stadium: Fairgreen Attendance: 73 Referee: Mark Kennedy |
| 17 May | Douglas Hall | 1–0 | Fanad United | Douglas, County Cork |
| 12:00 | Ben Roche-O'Brien 77' |
Report | Adam Carr 90+7' |
Stadium: Monegourney Attendance: 25 Referee: Robert O'Leary |
| 17 May | Baldoyle United | 2–0 | Leicester Celtic | Baldoyle, Dublin 13 |
| 14:00 | Alex Mooney 24' Cian Leeson 86' |
Report | Stadium: Brookstone Road Attendance: 270 Referee: Colin Duffy |
| 17 May | College Corinthians | 2–1 | Killester Donnycarney | Douglas, County Cork |
| 14:00 | Keelan Crowley 59' 71' Faruq Adegboyega 88' |
Report | Cian Whelan 13' |
Stadium: Corinthians Park Referee: Darren O'Sullivan |
| 17 May | Lucan United | 5–2 (a.e.t.) | UCC | Westmanstown, Dublin 15 |
| 14:00 | Andrade Leonardo 73' Gary Gannon 90+3'Conor Clifford 105' (pen.)Marco Chindea 113'Taylor Mooney 117' |
Report | Ronan O'Shea 61' Sam Bailey 68'Ronan O'Shea 118' |
Stadium: Westmanstown Sports Centre Referee: John McCarthy |
| 23 May | Crumlin United | 4–0 | Salthill Devon | Crumlin, Dublin 12 |
| 17:00 | Cian Kenna 6' Cian Kenna 55'Jude Healy 67'Greg Moorhouse 90+2' |
Report | Stadium: Pearse Park Referee: Declan Troy |
Second round
[edit]The League of Ireland teams entered in the second round.[6]
| 17 July | Athlone Town | 3–0 | Midleton | Athlone, County Westmeath |
| 19:45 | Patrick Ferry 11' (pen.) Aaron Connolly 52'Josh Farnham 80' |
Report | Stadium: Athlone Town Stadium Attendance: 320 Referee: Oliver Moran |
| 17 July | Drogheda United | 4–0 | Lucan United | Drogheda, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Mark Doyle 3' Mark Doyle 44'Stephen Odiashi  49' (o.g.)Thomas Oluwa 62' (pen.) |
Report | Stephen Odiashi 76' |
Stadium: Sullivan & Lambe Park Attendance: 1,282 Referee: Daryl Carolan |
| 17 July | Finn Harps | 0–1 | Bray Wanderers | Ballybofey, County Donegal |
| 19:45 | Report | Conor Knight 90+3' |
Stadium: Finn Park Attendance: 602 Referee: Paul McLaughlin |
| 17 July | Galway United | 4–0 | Crumlin United | Salthill, County Galway |
| 19:45 | Matty Wolfe 11' (pen.) Francely Lomboto 24'Matty Wolfe 38'Stephen Walsh 50' |
Report | Stadium: Pearse Stadium Attendance: 672 Referee: Declan Toland | |
| Note: Fixture played in Pearse Stadium due to pitch work at Galway United's regular home venue of Eamonn Deacy Park. | ||||
| 17 July | Kerry | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (6–5 p) | Shelbourne | Tralee, County Kerry |
| 19:45 | Sean O'Connell 77' Cian Murphy 78' |
Report | Odhrán Casey 52' Daniel Kelly 60'Jack Henry-Francis 90+3' |
Stadium: Mounthawk Park Attendance: 1,164 Referee: Neil Doyle |
| Penalties | ||||
Cian Murphy  Matthew Britton Sean McGrath  Sean O'Connell Colin Healy Ewan Lee Niall Brookwell Vincent Borden |
Paddy Barrett Sam Bone Sean Moore James Roche Evan Caffrey Daniel Kelly Daniel Ring Sean Gannon |
|||
| 17 July | St Mochta's | 1–3 | Dundalk | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Dean Moran 83' |
Report | Shane Tracey 15' Trevor Clarke 37'Harry Groome 65' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,148 Referee: Alan Patchell |
| Note: St Mochta's were drawn as the home team but the two clubs agreed to switch the venue to Dundalk's Oriel Park home venue.[7] | ||||
| 17 July | St Patrick's Athletic | 2–1 | Wexford | Inchicore, Dublin 8 |
| 19:45 | Jason McClelland 14' Aidan Keena 90' |
Report | Jake Doyle 69' |
Stadium: Richmond Park Attendance: 1,419 Referee: Lucas Keating |
| 17 July | Treaty United | 1–2 | UCD | Garryowen, County Limerick |
| 19:45 | Colm Whelan 33' Ronan Manning 38' (pen.) |
Report | Hugh Smith 62' Charles Akinrintoyo 79' |
Stadium: Markets Field Attendance: 566 Referee: Mark Houlihan |
| 17 July | Waterford | 2–1 | Cobh Ramblers | Waterford, County Waterford |
| 19:45 | Evan McLaughlin 79' Pádraig Amond 90+3' |
Report | Jordan Adeyemi 2' |
Stadium: RSC Attendance: 1,316 Referee: Kevin O'Sullivan |
| 17 July | Shamrock Rovers | 4–1 (a.e.t.) | Cork City | Tallaght, Dublin 24 |
| 20:00 | Naj Razi 47' John McGovern 95' (pen.)John McGovern 110'Max Kovalevskis 116' |
Report | Ruairí Keating 54' (pen.) |
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 2,525 Referee: Robert Harvey |
| 18 July | Bangor Celtic | 4–5 | College Corinthians | Crumlin, Dublin 12 |
| 14:00 | Callum Redmond 25' Jake Scott 55'Jake Scott 56'Adam Colgan 70' |
Report | Anthony Brothers 8' Padraig McGrath 11'Killian Cooper 48'Killian Cooper 52'Killian Cooper 61' |
Stadium: Blakes Astro Pearse Park Attendance: TBC Referee: Mark Moynihan |
| 18 July | Douglas Hall | 0–1 | Castlebar Celtic | Douglas, County Cork |
| 15:00 | Report | Dylan Felle 20' |
Stadium: Monegourney Attendance: TBC Referee: Raymond Murphy |
| 18 July | Janesboro | 0–4 | Sligo Rovers | Limerick, County Limerick |
| 16:30 | Report | Archie Meekison 1' Archie Meekison 29'Cian Kavanagh 56'Seb Quirk 62' |
Stadium: Pearse Stadium Attendance: 261 Referee: Daniel Murphy |
| 18 July | Baldoyle United | 0–8 | Longford Town | Mullolagher, County Longford |
| 17:00 | Report | Pharrell Manuel 6' Pharrell Manuel 12'Stefan Ugbesia 30'Alex O'Brien 66'Stefan Ugnesia 80'Stefan Ugbesia 82'Stefan Ugbesia 84'Cole Omorehiomwan 87' |
Stadium: Bishopsgate Attendance: 400 Referee: Marc Lynch | |
| Note: Baldoyle United were drawn as the home team but the two clubs agreed to switch the venue to Longford Town's Bishopsgate home venue.[7] | ||||
| 19 July | Derry City | 3–0 | Tolka Rovers | Derry, County Londonderry |
| 16:00 | Adam O'Reilly 29' Ellis Chapman 83'Ellis Chapman 90+2' |
Report | Stadium: Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium Referee: Aaron O'Dowd |
Third round
[edit]| 14 August | Galway United | v | Bray Wanderers | Galway, County Galway |
| 19:45 | Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park |
| 14 August | UCD | v | Derry City | Belfield, Dublin 4 |
| 19:45 | Stadium: UCD Bowl |
| 14 August | Waterford | v | Athlone Town | Waterford, County Waterford |
| 19:45 | Stadium: RSC |
| 15 August | College Corinthians | v | Drogheda United | Douglas, County Cork |
| 16:00 | Stadium: Corinthians Park |
| 15 August | Dundalk | v | Castlebar Celtic | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 17:00 | Stadium: Oriel Park |
| 15 August | Sligo Rovers | v | Kerry | Sligo, County Sligo |
| 19:45 | Stadium: The Showgrounds |
| 16 August | St Patrick's Athletic | v | Shamrock Rovers | Inchicore, Dublin 8 |
| 14:00 | Stadium: Richmond Park |
| 16 August | Bohemians | v | Longford Town | Phibsborough, Dublin 7 |
| 19:00 | Stadium: Dalymount Park |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Club Soft Drinks announced as new title partner of Men's and Women's FAI Cups in four-year agreement". Archived from the original on 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
- ↑ "Salthill Devon face Crumlin United among games in FAI Cup first round". rte.ie. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "RTÉ and FAI announce two-year broadcast agreement to show record number of Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup ties". rte.ie. RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "Looking good for the League of Ireland UEFA coefficient". extratime.ie. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ Stafford, Tom (2026-05-13). "Root One - FAI Cup First Round Preview". extratime.com. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
- ↑ "Club Orange Men's FAI Cup Second Round fixtures confirmed". Archived from the original on 2026-06-13. Retrieved 2026-06-13.
- 1 2 "Club Orange Men's FAI Cup Second Round fixtures confirmed". www.fai.ie.
- ↑ "Bohs handed FAI Cup walkover after Ringmahon withdraw". RTE.ie. 2026-06-29. Archived from the original on 2026-06-30. Retrieved 2026-06-30.