2026 Allianz Hurling League: A Comprehensive Overview

The 2026 National Hurling League, sponsored by Allianz, marks the 95th staging of this annual hurling tournament. Featuring 35 teams – 32 from Ireland and 3 from England – the league commenced on January 24th, 2026 and is scheduled to conclude on April 5th, 2026. Cork currently holds the title of reigning champions.

League Structure

The 2026 Allianz Hurling League is divided into five divisions, each comprising seven teams:

• Division 1A: 7 teams
• Division 1B: 7 teams
• Division 2: 7 teams
• Division 3: 7 teams
• Division 4: 7 teams

Each team within a division plays every other team once. A win earns two points, while a draw awards one point. The primary objective in Division 1A is to become the National Hurling League (NHL) champions, with the top two teams qualifying for the NHL Final.

Promotion and Relegation

Teams compete for both promotion to higher leagues and to avoid relegation to lower ones. Specifically:

• The first and second-placed teams in Divisions 1B, 2, 3, and 4 will compete in their respective divisional finals and will be promoted.
• The bottom two teams in Divisions 1A, 1B, 2, and 3 will be relegated to a lower league.

Tiebreaker Criteria

In the event of teams being tied on points at the conclusion of the league phase, the following tiebreaker criteria, as outlined in the Official GAA Guide, will be applied:

• For two teams: The result of the previous meeting between the two teams in the competition.
• For three or more teams:
  • Scoring Difference (Total scores for minus total scores against)
  • Highest Total Score For
  • A Play-Off

Recent Updates

As of March 8th, 2026, live updates are available for the Allianz Hurling League action, with Division 1B games taking center stage following the postponement of the Waterford-Tipperary match. [RTÉ Sport]

Key Competitions

The Allianz Hurling League is one of several key hurling competitions organized by the GAA, including:

• All-Ireland Senior Championship
• Christy Ring Cup
• Nicky Rackard Cup
• Lory Meagher Cup
• Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling All-Ireland U21 Championship
• Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship
• GAA Hurling All-Ireland U17 Competition
• AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Club Championships
• GAA Hurling All-Ireland Intermediate Championship
• GAA Hurling Interprovincial Championship

Limerick’s fixtures for the 2026 Allianz Hurling and Football Leagues have been finalized, with the senior hurlers scheduled for three home and three away games.