Who Can Win the League of Ireland First Division Play-Offs 2026?
The League of Ireland First Division play-offs 2026 have the kind of script that makes a league table feel temporary. Kerry and Longford Town grabbed the final two places on the last night, while UCD and Bray Wanderers earned the right to finish their semi-finals at home. Now four clubs face a two-leg examination, with promotion still one further match beyond the final.
First Division play-off fixtures and kick-off times
The schedule is confirmed, and all four semi-final matches will be shown on LOITV. Keep an eye on the distinction between home advantage in one match and the aggregate score across both.
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 24 Oct | Longford Town v UCD | Bishopsgate | 19:30 |
| Sat 24 Oct | Kerry v Bray | Mounthawk Park | 19:45 |
| Tue 27 Oct | UCD v Longford | UCD Bowl | 19:45 |
| Tue 27 Oct | Bray v Kerry | Carlisle Grounds | 19:45 |
UCD finished second and Bray third; Kerry were fourth and Longford fifth. The higher-placed sides have the second leg at their own grounds, where the pressure could look very different on Tuesday night.
Kerry v Bray and Longford v UCD: how they qualified
Longford’s 1-0 victory over Athlone, secured by James Bailey’s first-half goal, delivered fifth place. Kerry drew 1-1 with champions Cork City, Vincent Russell Borden cancelling out Ruairi Keating’s opener. That single point was enough to give the Tralee club a first appearance in these play-offs.
Bray have reached the promotion/relegation decider in each of the last two seasons without going up. UCD were last in the Premier Division in 2023. Those histories are not predictions, but they explain why the experience gap will be a talking point. The more immediate issue is managing the first ninety minutes without losing control of the tie before a home crowd can influence the return leg and shift the momentum completely.
First Division play-off format: what happens on aggregate?
The four teams placed second to fifth play home-and-away semi-finals. Add the goals from both legs; the higher total qualifies for the one-match First Division play-off final on Sunday 1 November, at a neutral ground still to be confirmed.
If aggregate goals are level after the second leg, extra time and, if necessary, penalties are the established method of settling the tie. It is the aggregate score that matters, not whether a club won its home match. Confirm the final competition procedures before wagering on qualification markets.
League of Ireland play-off betting odds
The first-leg prices suggest two finely balanced contests, so there is little reason to treat league finishing positions as automatic wins. The following are decimal 90-minute win prices observed on 20 October; check current availability.
When is the final, and who gets promoted?
The two semi-final winners meet on 1 November. That winner must then beat the ninth-placed Premier Division club in a separate promotion/relegation play-off to claim a 2027 top-flight place. The later fixture’s details remain subject to confirmation, with the FAI Cup calendar potentially affecting arrangements.
Nothing is won in the first leg, however loud the celebrations. Price the full two-match journey rather than mistaking Saturday’s strongest-looking side for a certain finalist.
