2026 National Hurling League

2026 National Hurling League

League details
Dates	January – March/April 2026
Teams	35
League champions
← 2025 2027 →

The 2026 National Hurling League , known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz Hurling League, is due to be the 95th staging of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling tournament for county teams. Thirty-two county teams from Ireland, and three from England, compete. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Cork are the reigning champions.

Format

League structure

Teams by Province and Division
Province	Division 1A	Division 1B	Division 2	Division 3	Division 4	Total
Connacht	1	0	1	1	2	5
Leinster	2	4	3	2	1	12
Munster	4	1	1	0	0	6
Ulster	0	2	1	4	2	9
Britain	0	0	1	0	2	3
Total	7	7	7	7	7	35

The 2026 National Hurling League consists of five divisions of seven teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw.

In the top division, Division 1A, teams compete to become the National Hurling League (NHL) champions. The top two teams qualify for the NHL Final.

Teams compete for promotion and relegation to a higher or lower league. In Divisions 1B, 2, 3 and 4, the first- and second-placed teams play in the divisional final and are both promoted, while the bottom two teams of divisions 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 are relegated.

Tiebreakers for league ranking

As per the Official GAA Guide - Part 1 - Section 6.21 ^[4] -

If two teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

1. Where two teams only are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the Competition;

If three or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

1. Scoring Difference (subtracting the total scores against from total scores for);
2. Highest Total Score For;
3. A Play-Off.

In the event that two teams or more finish with equal points, but have been affected by a disqualification, loss of game on a proven objection, retirement or walkover, the tie shall be decided by the following means:

1. Score Difference from the games in which only the teams involved, (teams tied on points), have played each other. (subtracting the total Scores Against from total Scores For)
2. Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (i)
3. A Play-Off

Division 1A

Galway

Offaly

Cork

Limerick

Tipperary

Waterford

Kilkenny

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Locations of the 2026 NHL Division 1A teams

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Waterford	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to NHL Final
2	Cork	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Galway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Kilkenny	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Limerick	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Tipperary	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to 2027 NHL Division 1B
7	Offaly	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: January 2026. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Division 1B

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Antrim	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to NHL Division 1B Final and promotion to 2027 NHL Division 1A
2	Carlow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Dublin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Down	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Wexford	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Clare	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to 2027 NHL Division 2
7	Kildare	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: January 2026. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Division 1B Final

First-placed team v Second-placed team

March/April 2026

First-placed team	v	Second-placed team

Croke Park , Dublin

Division 2

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Derry	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to NHL Division 2 Final and promotion to 2027 NHL Division 1B
2	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Westmeath	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Laois	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Kerry	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Meath	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to 2027 NHL Division 3
7	Mayo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: January 2026. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Division 2 Final

First-placed team v Second-placed team

March/April 2026

First-placed team	v	Second-placed team

Division 3

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Armagh	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to NHL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2027 NHL Division 2
2	Fermanagh	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Donegal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Louth	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Roscommon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Tyrone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to 2027 NHL Division 4
7	Wicklow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: January 2026. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Division 3 Final

First-placed team v Second-placed team

March/April 2026

First-placed team	v	Second-placed team

Division 4

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sligo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Advance to NHL Division 4 Final and promotion to 2027 NHL Division 3
2	Lancashire	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Leitrim	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Longford	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Cavan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Monaghan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	Warwickshire	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

First match(es) will be played: January 2026. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Division 4 Final

First-placed team v Second-placed team

March/April 2026

First-placed team	v	Second-placed team

References

1. Weekly, Wexford (24 March 2025). "Wexford's opponents revealed for 2026 Allianz Hurling and Football Leagues | Wexford Weekly". wexfordweekly.com.
2. McGrath, Shane (4 March 2025). "Twists and turns still to come in the hurling league" – via www.rte.ie.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. "2025 Allianz Hurling League permutations". www.gaa.ie. 19 March 2025.
4. "GAA Official Guide - Part 1" (PDF). gaa.ie. Retrieved 21 October 2020.