Irish Cup (Northern Ireland) 2025/26

The Irish Cup, officially the Clearer Water Irish Cup, is the primary national knockout football competition in Northern Ireland. Organized by the Irish Football Association (IFA), it was founded in 1880, making it the fourth-oldest national cup competition in the world. During the period before the political split in 1921, the tournament served as the national cup for the entire island of Ireland. Since then, it has been contested exclusively by IFA-affiliated clubs in Northern Ireland.

The competition functions as a pure knockout tournament with no group stages. It typically involves between 100 and 126 clubs, open to all IFA-affiliated senior and intermediate teams. The format begins with qualifying rounds for lower-tier regional leagues, which are classified as Level 4 and below. Senior clubs from the NIFL Premiership and NIFL Championship enter the competition in the Sixth Round. All ties are played as single legs, except for the semi-finals, which are held at Windsor Park. The Final is also staged at Windsor Park, usually in May. The primary reward for the winner is qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League, or the Europa League if the league winner has already qualified through their domestic performance.

Linfield stands as the most successful club with 44 titles. The current holder is Dungannon Swifts, who secured the 2024–25 edition by defeating Cliftonville on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Replays were abolished in 2014, ending a tradition that had seen finals require multiple extra matches. Notable moments include giant-killing victories where non-league clubs defeated senior sides, such as Willowfield in 1928, Dundela in 1955, and Carrick Rangers in 1976. The record for final appearances between two specific teams is held by Glentoran and Linfield, who have met in the final 15 times. Sponsorship has evolved over the years, with Clearer Water taking the title from 2023 onwards following a tenure by Tennent’s.