Next year’s GAA annual congress will decide whether the All-Ireland championships will be extended into August from 2027.
Saturday’s Central Council meeting supported the proposals from a subcommittee chaired by former GAA director general Páraic Duffy.
Should the motion be successful next February – requiring a 60 per cent majority – the All-Ireland finals will be played on either side of the August bank holiday.
The change would allow for a two-week break between the hurling and football deciders.
RM Block
Any move to extend the season has been tied to other proposals to ensure that no further inroads are made into the calendar.
These include that clubs from counties competing in the All-Ireland finals be granted byes to the provincial club semi-finals in Munster and Connacht, and the quarter-finals in Ulster and Leinster.
It would also see the proposal to abolish extra-time in All-Ireland finals paused, and that the first competitive intercounty fixtures of the new season would be the Allianz Leagues, not preseason competitions which are due to return in 2026 after a suspension this year.
“It is the unanimous view of the committee that if Central Council and annual Congress wish to extend the intercounty season, even by the proposed two weeks, it must mitigate the effects on both the club and intercounty playing seasons by also adopting the provisions above,” the proposal to the Central Council stated.
“If these latter proposals are accepted, they will also take effect in 2027.”
A further mitigating measure sees a proposal for a five-year moratorium on further discussion of dates for the All-Ireland finals.
