Who are the All-Ireland Contenders in 2026?

2026 will see the 140th iteration of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with Kerry looking to defend the title they won so impressively last year.

The Kingdom are the favourites to retain their crown this year, at odds of 2.63 with BoyleSports. However, no team has achieved this objective since Dublin won a sixth consecutive All-Ireland title in 2020.

So, although Kerry remain genuine contenders and deserved favourites, they’ll face strong competition in the form of Donegal, Armagh and Galway. We’ll appraise each of these sides in more detail below, while revealing the underdogs that may offer value as outright winners.

The Big Three - Kerry, Donegal and Armagh

Let’s start by addressing the three most likely All-Ireland SFC winners in 2026: namely Kerry, Donegal and Armagh. Each of these sides have showcased both strength and vulnerability so far in 2026, while the recent draw will also see Kerry and Donegal do battle in the tournament’s opening round.

Kerry

Kerry enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2025, winning the National League Division 1 title, Munster crown the All-Ireland Championship. However, they were well beaten by Donegal in this year’s Division 1 final, with the Forgotten County dismantling Kerry’s kickout strategy and giving up just five turnovers from 33 possessions themselves.

The Kingdom will take on Donegal again in the first round of the All-Ireland Championship, and while this match won’t eliminate either team, it will make the losers’ path to the final significantly harder.

The good news for Kerry is that they remain the ultimate big game team. This is thanks largely to the immense presence of David Clifford, who is the best player in the country and has contributed 96 championship points in the previous four seasons. Kerry also has a deep panel of supporting cast that have incredible experience on the biggest stage.

Donegal

Donegal have become a formidable force under head coach Jim McGuinness, with their ability to force turnovers and sustain attacks key to their Division 1 final success.

Kerry simply had no answer to the Forgotten County here, with a final winning margin of 13 points not flattering to Donegal. They’ll hope to repeat this performance in the first round of the All-Ireland Championship, but the team was recently stunned by Down in the Ulster Championship quarter-finals.

Conor O’Donnell epitomises Donegal’s high-octane approach, with the forward having gone 4-17 (29) during his team’s National League campaign in 2026. He’ll be supported in attack by the reliable Michael Langan, and Donegal are the deserved second favourites for the All-Ireland SFC at 6.00.

Armagh

Armagh’s own National League campaign was incredibly disappointing, as the Cathedral County finished sixth in Division 1 and only avoided relegation to the second tier by a single point.

However, they only lost narrowly to Donegal in a competitive match at the Athletic Grounds, before Armagh held Kerry to a thrilling 48-point draw at the same venue on March 22nd. Kieran McGeeney’s men have since powered to the Ulster final too in 2026, hitting a record 42 points (and three goals) in a last four thrashing of Down on May 3rd.

The consistent Conor Turbitt went 2-5 in the thumping of Down, while Oisin O Neill contributed 1-33 (36) in Armagh’s recent Division 1 campaign. The Cathedral County also won the All-Ireland Championship as recently as 2024, and will entertain Derry in their first round clash this year. They’re priced at 6.50 with BoyleSports to win the All-Ireland crown.

Are There Any Other Likely Contenders?

Dublin are also emerging as potential dark horses for this year’s All-Ireland Championship. This is despite manager Ger Brennan’s 12-week ban and the team’s recent relegation from the Allianz Division 1.

The Dubs then struggled to a narrow win over Division 4 side Wickow in Aughrim, but subsequently turned heads with a 10-point win over defending Leinster champions Louth in Portlaoise. Cormac Costello went 0-10 in a dominant performance, while Dublin’s big-game players seemed to raise their level to suit the occasion.

The Dubs are certainly building momentum of their All-Ireland campaign, and this will only grow further if they win the Leinster crown. Another team that’s fancied by some is Galway, with the Tribesman also set to contest their own provincial final in Connacht on May 10th.

Despite placing fifth in National League Division 1 this season, Galway went undefeated against Armagh, Kerry, Donegal and Dublin. They defeated the Dubs narrowly at home and edged Armagh by a single point at the Athletic Grounds, while holding both Kerry and Donegal to draws on the road.

Forward Robert Finnerty starred for the Tribesmen as they showcased their big game pedigree in the Allianz League, notching 1-33 (36) overall. Galway also made the All-Ireland final in 2024 and have experience at the very highest level, although they were defeated by one point by Armagh on this occasion.

The Last Word - Which Team Will Win the 2026 All-Ireland SFC?

Kerry’s status as the 2026 All-Ireland favourites is well-deserved, but the team showed significant vulnerability in their Division 1 final defeat to Donegal. They certainly remain overly reliant on the form and fitness of Paulie and David Clifford, while their kickout strategy has exposed a potential weakness against teams that press with intensity.

Donegal and Armagh are similarly flawed, while the same can be said for outside contenders Dublin and Galway. There was little to choose between these teams in the recent National League Division 1 campaign either, so this could be one of the most keenly contested titles for years.

Ultimately, it’s hard to look past Kerry’s incredible pedigree and track record in big games. In fact, the team have often produced inconsistent performances during the formative rounds of Championship matches, before their depth and the quality of David Clifford drags them over the line. They therefore remain the team to beat again in 2026.