Leinster GAA officials will next week decide on the venues for their provincial football semi-finals.
In a break from regular scheduling of these fixtures at HQ, last year's semi-finals were not played in Croke Park as part of a double-header.
Instead, they went to regional grounds, with Dublin losing to Meath in Portlaoise in front of 10,000.
In Tullamore, almost 7,000 watched as Louth beat Kildare to earn them a third Leinster final slot on the trot for the first time since 1914.
A crowd of 65,000 turned up for the final, a huge jump on the 23,113 that attended the 2024 decider between the Dubs and Louth.
With the renewed interest in this championship there is strong backing for regional venues to again be used for this year’s semi-finals.
Along with last season’s campaign, which gave us that novel Louth-Meath final pairing, the 2026 competition is poised to be the most even and competitive in over 20 years.
From 1997 to 2004, the Leinster championship was won by Offaly, Kildare, Meath, Laois, Dublin and Westmeath before the Dubs would go on to dominate the province for the next 20 years, with the exception of Meath winning in 2010.
The hurling championship is also set to capture the imagination and with interest in both codes, a club group pass, which enables clubs to bring large groups of members to games together, has been offered as a package.
For the opening round of the football championship, four adults and 20 juveniles will be admitted for €120.
A hurling pass will grant access to five games priced at €100 for seated tickets or €60 for terrace access.
At Tuesday's football championship launch, where every men’s team except Dublin was represented, players from across the province admitted their excitement of the wide open nature of the series.
"It’s more open than in a long time," says Kildare captain Kevin Feely.
"All the results between the teams suggest that this is going to be extremely competitive again this year.
"For ourselves, we just have to produce something to make sure we are as competitive as we can be too."
Laois were in the race for promotion to Division 2 and will meet an Offaly side relegated from that tier in the first round.
Their goalkeeper Killian Roche says that no one can underestimate anyone.
"We have a local derby against Offaly and that will be a 50-50 game where form will go out the window.
"And the winner of that will play Kildare in another local derby and that will be 50-50 too."
