There's an almost perfect geographical spread to Division 3 of the Allianz Football League this year with three Leinster sides, two from each of Ulster and Munster and one from Connacht filling out the eight spots.
Such symmetry pales into significance though given what is at stake with progression to the All-Ireland SFC almost certainly a prize for at least one team to go along with their promotion.
Take Down, for example. Last seen giving Galway a real scare in last year’s All-Ireland preliminary knock-out – posting 3-21 in the process – and now staring down the barrel of Tailteann Cup football should the league not work out. Conor Laverty will know that they can’t be left to rely on a run to the provincial final, especially with a trip to Donegal awaiting in their Ulster opener.
Westmeath, under the guidance of Ryan McHugh, are another side looking up after performing well in the All-Ireland round-robin editions of 2023 and '24. No group format in 2026, of course, but their recent O’Byrne Cup success will act as further motivation to get back to mixing it with the top teams.
Others like Clare and Fermanagh fell just short in promotion bids last season while Wexford will be keen to prove that they are ready for the step up after winning seven from seven in Division 4 in 2025 – although the league final saw that winning run end.
That came courtesy of Limerick, one of the good news stories of last year as they claimed silverware at Croke Park. They’d return twice more, beating Fermanagh in the Tailteann Cup semi-final and falling just short against Kildare in the final. They’ll feel it’s now time to push on.
Sligo and Laois have been hopping between Division 3 and 4 in recent seasons, so will be keen to consolidate.
One thing’s for sure, there’ll be no phoney war here.
Clare
2025 league: Third in Division 3
2025 championship: Munster final defeat v Kerry, All-Ireland group stage exit
2026 championship: Munster semi-final v Kerry
Manager: Paul Madden (first season in charge)
Captain: Cillian Rouine
Squad news: A boost for new manager Paul Madden that Brian McNamara has again resisted the call of the Banner hurlers to focus on football commitments.
The Clare boss gave competitive minutes to 30 players in their two McGrath Cup games, including McNamara, so plenty of players have had their chance to impress.
Prospects: We’ll know soon enough – the league opener away to division favourites Down should give us a good idea of where Clare are at.
The McGrath Cup pointed to a side moving rightly as Waterford were defeated while they pushed an experimental Kerry all the way. Eoin Cleary and Aaron Griffin looked sharp and they will carry much of their scoring threat, perhaps too much.
Scoring difference cost them promotion last season so no secret to how important it is for Clare to be ruthless in attack.
League prediction: 6th
Down
2025 league: Relegated from Division 2
2025 championship: Ulster semi-final defeat to Donegal, All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final defeat to Galway
2026 championship: Ulster quarter-final v Donegal
Manager: Conor Laverty (fourth season in charge)
Captain: Odhrán Murdock
Squad news: The Down squad is laced with players just entering their prime, so changes have been fairly minor for the season ahead. Livewire Liam Kerr has made a return after missing 20205 while Kilcoo’s Anthony Morgan is also set to reappear. Former Tyrone All-Ireland winner Hugh Pat McGeary is also hoping to get going with his new county after an Achilles’ injury stopped him before he got started last season.
Prospects: They say the table doesn’t lie, but Down’s relegation from Division 2 last year was definitely on the harsh side.
Conor Laverty’s side were a match for every opponent, but a series of narrow defeats – many in games where they were the better team – proved costly as they lost out to Louth on the head-to-head rule, with the Wee County winning their encounter by just a point.
They responded well in the championship by putting it up to some of the country’s best teams, and while notable wins still eluded them, it was clear they are better than their current position suggests.
League prediction: 1st
Fermanagh
2025 league: Fourth in Division 3
2025 championship: Ulster quarter-final defeat to Down, Tailteann Cup semi-final defeat to Kildare
2026 championship: Ulster quarter-final v Armagh/Tyrone
Manager: Declan Bonner (first season in charge)
Captain: To be appointed
Squad news: The Cullen twins, Lee and Ché, are unavailable, Lee’s loss in particular is sure to be felt as he was on the Tailteann Cup team of the year last season.
Ryan Lyons is another notable name not involved, but James McMahon has returned.
Prospects: With every new management team, there is always a sense of uncertainty but Declan Bonner’s currency has always been about enthusiasm in the project so anyone who has bought in will have to do so fully.
Just the three home games but one away trip is just a short hop over the border to Sligo.
A productive McKenna Cup saw them beat Cavan – although that result was later voided as the counties were cited for fielding ineligible players – before showing well against Monaghan as they led by five points early in the second half before losing by three.
Darragh McGurn could end up being one of the most dangerous forwards in the division.
League prediction: 7th
Laois
2025 league: Sixth in Division 3
2025 championship: Leinster quarter-final defeat v Louth, Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final defeat v Westmeath
2026 championship: Leinster preliminary round v Offaly
Manager: Justin McNulty (third season in charge)
Captain: Brian Byrne
Squad news: Evan O’Carroll is back after a cruciate injury picked up in the interprovincials ruined his 2025 ambitions, and that is a major boost to the side’s scoring strength. Mikie Dempsey, another cruciate victim, is also back on board.
Prospects: Over the last couple of seasons, Laois have been yo-yoing between Division 3 and Division 4 so it’s no surprise that they are expected to be fighting relegation rather than pushing for promotion.
The schedule does give them a chance to make a positive start though as they host an improving Limerick before travelling to Wexford; those will both be circled as genuine chances of victory and if they can manage four points from those, everything changes.
Their final game is away to Down in Newry and they’ll not want to be heading there needing a result.
League prediction: 3rd
Limerick
2025 league: Second in Division 4
2025 championship: Munster quarter-final defeat v Cork, Tailteann Cup final loss v Kildare
2026 championship: Munster quarter-final v Cork
Manager: Jimmy Lee (third season in charge)
Captain: Cillian Fahy
Squad news: Goalkeeper Josh Ryan suffered a cruciate injury on club injury at the end of the season so won’t be about for a while – net-minders Jeffrey Alfred and Jamie Dolan both got their chance in the McGrath Cup – while Darragh O'Hagan underwent shoulder surgery in November. Iain Corbett has retired after 14 seasons.
Prospects: Optimism has to be there after last year’s Division 4 success and the county’s run to the Tailteann Cup final where they gave Kildare their fill of it. A tricky start sees the side travel to Laois before hosting Down, and if they can escape that pair of fixtures with minimal damage then it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they could challenge for promotion.
January offered few clues as Jimmy Lee had a look at his extended panel; the side managed just four points in the loss to Tipperary but followed it up with victory over eventual champions Cork – regular big scorer James Naughton hitting 2-05. The St Senan’s star hit 4-12 against Waterford in Division 4 last season.
League prediction: 5th
Sligo
2025 league: Fifth in Division 3
2025 championship: Connacht quarter-final defeat to Mayo, Tailteann Cup quarter-final defeat to Fermanagh
2026 championship: Connacht quarter-final v Leitrim
Managers: Eamonn O’Hara/Dessie Sloyan (first season in charge)
Joint captains: Niall Murphy and Canice Mulligan
Squad news: No major in or outs in Sligo, but Seán Carrabine – who missed out last season through injury – is set to return, although it will be later in the season before he is back in contention.
Prospects: A new brush sweeps clean, but it’s unlikely Eamonn O’Hara and Dessie Sloyan are likely to carry out too much surgery on a team that performed well under former boss Tony McEntee.
The side came close to some really big moments, but just couldn’t apply the finishing touches – something the new management will be hoping they can eke out of the squad.
Not given much hope, but they do have four home games and the newly resurfaced Markievicz Park is down to host them.
League prediction: 4th
Westmeath
2025 league: Eighth in Division 2
2025 championship: Leinster quarter-final defeat v Kildare, Tailteann Cup quarter-final defeat v Wicklow
2026 championship: Leinster preliminary round v Longford
Manager: Mark McHugh (first season in charge)
Captain: Ronan Wallace
Squad news: A fair few notable absentees for the Lake County heading into 2026 with Kieran Martin stepping away after 17 seasons with the side. Ronan O’Toole and David Lynch are unavailable as they are in Australia.
Prospects: Westmeath are under a third management team in three seasons, although there is some continuity as Mark McHugh takes over having been involved under Dermot McCabe last season, who has since moved to his native Cavan.
McHugh continued to line out for his native Kilcar last season in Donegal so he is well versed in the player demands for the modern game and will hope he can get those ideas through to his players. The O’Byrne Cup success will provide a boost too.
Three home games out of seven means they’ll have to be good on the road. They lost all three away games in Division 2 last year but their games in Cork and Down went to the wire while Monaghan needed a late surge to break free.
League prediction: 2nd
Wexford
2025 league: First in Division 4
2025 championship: Leinster preliminary round defeat to Laois, Tailteann Cup quarter-final defeat to Limerick
2026 championship: Leinster quarter-final v Louth
Manager: John Hegarty (fourth season in charge)
Captain: Eoghan Nolan
Squad news: A couple of names have decided to call time on their Wexford careers - Kevin O’Grady, Mick Furlong and Conor Carty all stepping away having all made their debuts in 2011 – ending any link in the current squad to the county’s sole Leinster Under-21 crown 15 years ago.
Prospects: After fourth (2023) and third (2024) placed finishes in Division 4, Wexford finally secured promotion last season with a flawless seven wins from seven.
Their success was based on the meanest defence across all four divisions – they conceded on average just over 13 points per game, and that includes the Division 4 final loss to Limerick when they conceded 3-11. Such stinginess will be required again if they are to survive here.
Four home games offers further hope.
League prediction: 8th
