Munster GAA has confirmed the postponement of plans to implement a controversial new seeding system for next year’s Munster Senior Football Championship draw.
The introduction of the new system, which will be based on National Football League rankings, has been deferred to 2027.
“At an online meeting of Munster Council last night, it was agreed to postpone for one year the decision taken last July to change the seeding of the Munster Senior Football Championship for 2026,” a statement from Munster GAA read.
It added that “as a result, the seeding process which has been in place in recent years will apply when the 2026 Munster Senior Football Championship draws take place on Thursday, November 27th.”
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Last year’s finalists, champions Kerry and runners-up Clare, will therefore receive byes to the last four, but may be paired against each other in an open semi-final draw.
A decision was taken during the summer to seed the 2026 draw by taking the province’s two highest-ranked teams based on the previous year’s league standings (Kerry and Cork based on this year’s campaign) and placing them in separate semi-finals.
The decision sparked anger among the other Munster counties, with the possibility of teams refusing to play in January’s McGrath Cup competition.
The decision to postpone the implementation of the new seeding system should prevent any immediate escalation by counties but there remains frustration among some players that the province intends to go ahead with the change for 2027.
Kerry will be the only Munster county operating in Division 1 of the league next season. Cork will compete in Division 2, with Clare and Limerick in Division 3, and Tipperary and Waterford in Division 4.
