How to watch the GAA championship in Ireland

The championship is where the “sure it’s all on the box” line falls apart. Most of the games that matter are on RTÉ for nothing, and the ones that are not are on a service the GAA itself runs. A GAA+ pass comes with no solicitor’s letter.

Who has it this season

• Free-to-air Some of it Review
  • Free

  RTÉ shows 35 live championship games a summer: the provincial finals, the All-Ireland semi-finals and both finals, free.

• GAA+ Most of it Review
  • €15/match Pay per game (€15, or three for €30) for the GAA+ exclusives you actually want.
  • €95/year 40 exclusive live games in 2026: provincial football, Tailteann Cup, the All-Ireland football group games and two quarter-finals, Munster and Leinster hurling.

Rights and prices checked 2026-09-19. Standard prices; intro offers can be lower.

Three broadcasters share the championship under a deal that runs 2023 to 2027. RTÉ showed 35 live games in 2026: the Joe McDonagh Cup and Tailteann Cup finals, all four provincial football finals, the Munster and Leinster hurling finals, the All-Ireland semi-finals in football, hurling and camogie, and both All-Ireland finals. GAA+ had 40 exclusive games: 19 provincial championship, 7 Tailteann Cup and 14 in the All-Ireland football series. BBC Northern Ireland has the Ulster football championship live and simulcasts the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals; in the Republic its channels are only carried on Sky and Virgin Media boxes, not Saorview.

TG4 has no senior inter-county championship games in this deal; its GAA is the leagues, the club championships and the under-age grades, covered in the leagues and club guide. Virgin Media has none. Sky has had none since 2022.

The cheapest way to watch most of it

Start with the aerial. RTÉ’s 35 games include every final that matters, so a household that only wants the big Sundays pays nothing.

If you follow a county, count the GAA+ games you would actually watch. The season pass is one payment for all 40 exclusives and pays for itself around the seventh game at the single-match price, or the tenth if you buy singles in three-for-two bundles. Fewer than that, and the single matches are cheaper. The finder spreads the pass across April to July so you can compare it with a monthly sports subscription, and it comes out well.

There is no monthly pass that we could find.

What’s free

RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Saorview: the provincial finals, the All-Ireland series from the semi-finals, both finals, the camogie finals. TG4 has the ladies football championship free, with the 2026 finals on Sunday 2 August, and RTÉ has at least nine live camogie games a year. If you have a Sky or Virgin box, BBC Two NI adds the Ulster championship.

The calendar

• 2026 as played: provincial championships from mid-April, RTÉ’s coverage started 12 April; All-Ireland hurling final Sunday 19 July; All-Ireland football final Sunday 26 July; ladies football finals 2 August on TG4; camogie finals 9 August on RTÉ.
• 2027: same broadcasters, same split, last year of the deal. Dates not yet published. The GAA+ game count and price for 2027 are not yet announced.
• 2028 onward: no new rights deal announced.

Free finals, one pass for the rest. Sort me out with the finder, read the GAA+ review, and see the watch index for the leagues and the club scene.