GAA president Jarlath Burns has given his strongest indication yet that the format of the All-Ireland Football Championship is likely to be altered for 2025.
The Super 16s group stage has been in place for the 2023 and 2024 campaigns but Burns hinted on Tuesday that changes are in the offing for next season amid concerns that the current group format is not capturing the imagination of GAA fans.
Asked at the GAA’s official launch of the knockout rounds of the All-Ireland series in Maghera whether changes are afoot for 2025, the GAA president replied: “We are confident that it will come in for next year.”
While admitting inter-county players do like the current system, which guarantees teams at least three games in the All-Ireland Championship, Burns added the views of supporters have to be reflected.
“We used to complain that there was too much training and not enough games……now we have game after game,” the GAA president told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.
“But I think the supporters do like whenever you come to a championship match that there is going to be a winner and the loser will go on maybe and that’s the end of it for them.
“And I think maybe we would like to reflect that in our future proposals.”
