A new Women’s Development League will be created ahead of the 2026 League of Ireland season to expand the playing opportunities for players and clubs. Endorsed by UEFA as part of their Women’s League Development Fund, this new league will allow the current 12 SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division clubs to enter an Under-23 team into a competitive league and they will be joined by 10 clubs currently participating in the EA SPORTS LOI Academy Development Programme. These 10 clubs will have the opportunity to create a senior team for the first time. The 10 clubs joining the Women’s Development League as senior teams are Bray Wanderers, CK United, Cobh Ramblers, Drogheda United, Dundalk, Finn Harps, Kerry, Longford Town, Mayo and St. Patrick’s Athletic and this new Development League will remain part of the EA SPORTS LOI Academy Development Programme but will replace the current EA SPORTS Women’s U19 League. The Women’s Development League will help to strengthen the player pathway by providing more opportunities for players to compete at senior level and enable the players to continue to play at a national level beyond the age of 19. The Women’s Development League will be split into two groups:
As part of the format for the Women’s Development League, the following will apply:
· Each team will play 20 games in their respective group – against every other team, home and away
· Teams from each group will progress to the Development Knock-Out Stage
· The Development League Final will determine the overall winner of the League
· Promotion/Relegation to the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division will not be in place for the inaugural season but will be reviewed at a later date
· The 10 new senior clubs will enter the expanded Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup from the First Round
· UEFA funding will support the implementation of the new Development League
With the introduction of the Women’s Development League, there will be three different tiers of League of Ireland Women’s football for the 2026 season: SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, Women’s Development League and EA SPORTS Women’s Under-17 League. Future plans include additional LOI Academy Development Programmes for younger players, a recommendation which was highlighted in the recent Double Pass LOI Academy Audit.
League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon said: “It’s exciting to see the continued development of the League of Ireland with this expansion helping to elevate 10 more clubs to senior level in the women’s domestic game and creating a bridge between Academy and Senior football. The clubs stepping up to this new Women’s Development League deserve huge credit for the work that they have done whilst being part of the EA SPORTS LOI Academy Development Programme over recent years. This new tier will provide greater opportunities for players and coaches to develop, as well as bringing League of Ireland football at women’s senior level to more communities around the country.”
