Mayo clinch six All‑Stars while eight counties share the 2026 football honors, marking historic firsts for youngsters.
The 2026 GAA/GPA Football All-Stars have been announced at the RDS gala in Dublin, and the tally reads like a celebration of geographic breadth. All-Star selections traditionally mirror the Footballer of the Year nominees, but this year a new pattern emerged: every one of the three young-player candidates also secured a place on the XV.
Mayo, fresh off their All-Ireland triumph, captured a dominant six spots, while Kerry added three. The remaining seven places were split among Westmeath, Louth, Armagh, Tyrone, Dublin and Monaghan – eight counties in total, a figure not seen since 2010.
Record diversity and county representation
Eight different counties lining the All-Star roster makes the 2026 selection the most geographically varied in more than a decade. Only the 1971 panel, which featured nine counties, has been broader. The distribution reads: Mayo 6, Kerry 3, Westmeath 1, Louth 1, Armagh 1, Tyrone 1, Dublin 1, Monaghan 1.
Roscommon, the lone provincial champion missing out, saw their leading forwards Diarmuid Murtagh and Darragh Heneghan fall short despite a Connacht title that eclipsed both Mayo and Galway.
Young talent shines: a historic triple inclusion
For the first time, the three nominees for Young Footballer of the Year – Kobe McDonald, Darragh Beirne and Dara McDonnell – all earned All-Star spots. McDonald, only 18, became the third teenager in history to make the team, joining Derry’s Dermot McNicholl (1984) and Kerry’s Maurice Fitzgerald (1988). Beirne, a left-footed freetaker from Mayo, burst onto the scene during the All-Ireland series, while McDonnell anchored Louth’s backline and earned a first-time award. Their inclusion underscores a generational shift and the depth of emerging talent across the island.
Veterans, first-time winners and notable absences
While youth featured prominently, seasoned performers also featured. Kerry goalkeeper Shane Murphy claimed the coveted net-minder slot, ending a decade-long streak where the All-Star goalkeeper came from the same county. At 33, Murphy is the oldest first-time winner for Kerry since Mick O’Connell in 1972. In the defensive unit, Westmeath’s Ronan Wallace earned the county’s first All-Star since 2008, edging out teammate Matthew Whittaker in a tight selection. Armagh’s Jarlath Óg Burns made history as the first son of a sitting GAA president to win an All-Star on his own merits, delivering 0-15 from play in the Ulster championship.
Among the notable omissions, Mayo’s prolific forward Jordan Flynn missed the cut despite a strong season, while Paudie Clifford of Kerry – a five-time All-Star contender – was left off an otherwise star-studded lineup. The midfield also saw the return of two-time honoree David Clifford (Kerry) and the inclusion of Jack Carney (Mayo), who posted 0-18 across the campaign. The overall XV features eleven first-time honorees, with only Clifford (seven total), Jason Foley (three), Niall Scully (two) and Ryan O’Donoghue (two) having previously collected the award.
The awards ceremony, scheduled for Friday night at the RDS, will also crown the Footballer of the Year, Young Footballer of the Year and the 2026 Hurling All-Stars. While the All-Stars are chosen by a panel of GAA journalists, the two player-of-the-year accolades will be voted on by the athletes themselves from a shortlist prepared by the committee.
