Surprise odds in three-horse race for 2026 All-Ireland SFC title
To nobody’s surprise, Kerry have been installed as favourites to regain their All-Ireland SFC title in 2026.
With big wins in the knockout stages of this year’s competition, they were comfortably the best side, and are lead by a group of players who are only entering their prime.
What could throw their odds off is if manager Jack O’Connor does indeed step down, but until then they are 13/8 with Boyle Sports.
Despite a ten-point loss in this year’s final, Donegal are second favourites at 13/2, but surprisingly, Tyrone have the same odds, ahead of a group at 10/1.
This group includes contenders such as Galway, Dublin, and Armagh, while, also surprisingly, Mayo and Derry are at 10/1 as well.
Down and Cork are both at 25/1, this year’s semi-finalists Meath are at 33/1, alongside Monaghan, with this year’s Leinster champions Louth and Tailteann Cup winners Kildare at 66/1.
After his side’s loss to Kerry in this year’s All-Ireland semi-finals, Tyrone boss Malachy O’Rourke addressed the year they had.
He said: “I’d take a lot of positives out of it. We’ve had four championship victories. We’ve gone to Ballybofey and won. We’ve gone to Croke Park and beaten Dublin as well. The boys have put in a lot of effort and we have improved.
“To get into the last four, you’re going to be playing the top teams and Kerry are obviously one of the top teams. So any weaknesses you have will be exposed more than in other games.
“So there’s been a lot of positives but at the same time a game like that shows the level you have to get to if you want to be challenging for the top honours.”
On players such as Peter Harte and Martin Donnelly returning for 2026, he added: “Yeah, you’d love if they would. Those lads are brilliant ambassadors for Tyrone and the example they showed all the rest of the boys is second to none.
“There’s been no talk of retirement. I would love if they would be there to help guide (the younger players). There’s a big gap there between the Under-20s and the seniors.
“It’s a big transition so the more experienced fellas that are around to guide them, so much the better.”
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