Confirmed - All-Ireland football championship will be straight knock-out

This season’s All-Ireland football championship will be a straight knock-out, the GAA has confirmed.

The All-Ireland senior football championship final will be played just before Christmas on Saturday, December 19.

Unlike the football, the hurling championship will contain a backdoor format. Their All-Ireland final is scheduled for Sunday, December 13.

The draws for the Munster and Leinster Senior Hurling Championships will take place live on RTÉ's Six One news this evening, along with the Leinster Football Championship to decide potential semi-final pairings. 

In the football, all knockout games will be finished on the day, with penalties if required, including provincial and All-Ireland finals.

The GAA say the inter-county season will recommence on October 17 with the final two rounds of the league to be played before the championship fixtures start.

The hurling series will kick-start the inter-county championship season with provincial games commencing at the end of October. 

The Joe McDonagh Cup format remains the same, but the finalists won't proceed to the race for Liam MacCarthy and will be a curtain raiser to the All-Ireland hurling final.

Participation of British teams in the Ring and Rackard competitions will depend on travel situation between Ireland and Britain.  

The Association has confirmed that the provincial and All-Ireland club championships as well as the All-Ireland Schools Series and Tailteann Cup, have been postponed for the calendar year.

See a breakdown of dates below:

Knock-out Football Championship

Munster, Connacht, Ulster & Leinster Championships (draws already made)

Prelim Rounds

USFC - Monaghan v Cavan

LSFC - Carlow v Offaly, Wexford v Wicklow, Louth v Longford

Quarter Finals

USFC - Donegal v Tyrone, Derry v Armagh, Mon/Cav v Antrim, Fermanagh v Down

LSFC - Carlow/Offaly v Kildare, Wex/Wick v Meath, Louth/Longford v Laois, Westmeath v Dublin

CSFC - London v Roscommon, Leitrim v Mayo

MSFC – Waterford v Limerick, Clare v Tipperary

Semi Finals

USFC - Donegal/Tyrone v Derry/Armagh – Mon/Cav/Antrim v Fermanagh/Down

LSFC - Leinster- Draw to be made

CSFC - Leitrim/Mayo v London/Roscommon; Galway v Sligo

MSFC – Waterford/Limerick v Clare/Tipp and Cork v Kerry

Munster, Connacht, Ulster and Leinster Finals

All Ireland Semi Finals and Final

Dates for your diary

October 17/18 - 

Sat 

Eirgrid All-Ireland U20 Football Semi-Finals

Sat/Sun

Allianz Football League Round 6

Allianz Hurling League Roinn 2A, 2B & 3B Finals

October 24/25

Sat/Sun

Allianz Football League Round 7

Munster Hurling Quarter-Final

Leinster Hurling Quarter-Final

Christy Ring & Nickey Rackard Quarter-Finals

Joe McDonagh & Lory Meagher Round 1

October31/November 1

Sat/Sun

Connacht Football Quarter-Finals 

Munster Football Quarter-Finals

Leinster Football Round 1 

Ulster Football Preliminary Round/Quarter-Finals

Munster Hurling Semi-Finals

Leinster Hurling Semi-Finals

Joe McDonagh & Lory Meagher Round 2

Christy Ring & Nickey Rackard Semi-Finals & Relegation Semi-Finals

November 7/8

Sat/Sun

Connacht Football Semi-Finals 

Munster Football Semi-Finals

Leinster Football Quarter-Finals

Ulster Football Quarter-Finals

Hurling Qualifier Round 1 (2 games)

Joe McDonagh Round 3 (1 Game) 

Christy Ring & Nickey Rackard Relegation Finals

Lory Meagher Round 3

November 14/15

Sat/Sun

Connacht Football Final 

Leinster Football Semi-Finals

Ulster Football Semi-Final 

Leinster Hurling Final

Munster Hurling Final

Hurling Qualifier Round 2 (2 games)

Joe McDonagh Round 3 (1 game) 

Christy Ring, Nickey Rackard & Lory Meagher Finals

November 21/22

Sat Bloody Sunday Commemoration

Leinster Senior Football Final 

Joe McDonagh Round 4

All Ireland Hurling Quarter Finals (2 games)

Sun

Munster Football Final 

Ulster Football Final 

Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U20 Hurling Final

November 28/29

Sat 

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final

(Leinster v Quarter-Final Winner)

Joe McDonagh Round 5

Sun

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Semi-Final

(Munster v Quarter-Final Winner)

Sat/Sun

All-Ireland Minor Football Semi-Finals 

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Semi-Finals

December 5/6

Sat 

All-Ireland Senior Football Semi-Final

(Leinster v Ulster)

Sun

All-Ireland Senior Football Semi-Final 

(Connacht v Munster)

Sat/Sun

All-Ireland Minor Football Finals 

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Finals

December 12/13

Sun

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final

Joe McDonagh Final

December 19/20

Sat 

All-Ireland Senior Football Final