The 2026 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz Hurling League, was the 95th staging of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling tournament for county teams. Thirty-two county teams from Ireland, and three from England, competed.
Cork were the reigning champions, but were defeated in the final by .
Format
League structure Teams by Province and Division Province Division 1A Division 1B Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Total Connacht 1 0 1 1 2 5 Leinster 2 4 3 2 1 12 Munster 4 1 1 0 0 6 Ulster 0 2 1 4 2 9 Britain 0 0 1 0 23 Total 7 7 7 7 7 35
The 2026 National Hurling League consists of five divisions of seven teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw.
In the top division, Division 1A, teams compete to become the National Hurling League (NHL) champions. The top two teams qualify for the NHL Final.
Teams compete for promotion and relegation to a higher or lower league. In Divisions 1B, 2, 3 and 4, the first- and second-placed teams play in the divisional final and are both promoted, while the bottom two teams of divisions 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 are relegated.
Tiebreakers for league ranking As per the Official GAA Guide - Part 1 - Section 6.21 -
If two teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied: Where two teams only are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the Competition;
If three or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied: Scoring Difference (subtracting the total scores against from total scores for); Highest Total Score For; A Play-Off.
In the event that two teams or more finish with equal points, but have been affected by a disqualification, loss of game on a proven objection, retirement or walkover, the tie shall be decided by the following means: Score Difference from the games in which only the teams involved, (teams tied on points), have played each other. (subtracting the total Scores Against from total Scores For) Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (i) A Play-Off
Division 1A
Table
Matches
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Waterford's game against Tipperary was postponed due to bereavement.
Round 7
NHL Final
Division 1A Scoring Statistics
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Aidan O'ConnorLimerick1-636679.422Reuben HalloranWaterford1-454868.003Adam ScreeneyOffaly0-434367.164Cathal MannionGalway1-374066.665Alan ConnollyCork1-363966.506Aaron NilandGalway0-373766.167Jason FordeTipperary3-263548.758Cian KennyKilkenny0-303056.009Brian HayesCork6-092764.50Eoin CodyKilkenny2-212764.50
Division 1B Table
Matches
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Division 1B Final
Division 1B Scoring Statistics
+RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage1Mark RodgersClare1-626579.282Seann ElliottAntrim1-535669.333Simon RocheWexford1-515469.004Dónal BurkeDublin1-485168.505Pearse Óg McCrickardDown0-363657.206Marty KavaanghCarlow1-323565.837David QualterKildre1-303348.258Jack SheridanKildare2-263256.409Cian O'SullivanDublin2-202655.2010Shane MeehanClare3-162573.57Chris NolanCarlow1-222555.00
Division 2 Table
Matches
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Division 2 Final
Division 2 Scoring Statistics Overall RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage1Ronan WalshKerry5-3651510.202David WilliamsWestmeath1-424559.003Shea CassidyDerry2-354166.834Aaron DunphyLaois0-393957.805Fionn Ó Riain BroinLondon1-353857.606Tom ShineMeath0-373757.407Oisín MaunsellKerry5-213657.208Ryan DuffyMayo0-333356.609Cormac PhillipsMayo1-212454.8010Tomás KeyesLaois1-202354.60
Division 3 Table
Matches
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Division 3 Final
Division 3 Scoring Statistics Overall RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage1Gerard GilmoreDonegal0-444458.802Pádraig DoyleWicklow4-284058.003Darren GeogheganLouth0-363657.204Conor MorrisRoscommon2-293557.005Michael LittleTyrone0-303065.006Aiden KellyTyrone1-262964.837Liam McKinneyDonegal0-282855.608Jack LoughranArmagh0-272755.409Richie RyanDonegal5-092454.8010Seán CorriganFermanagh1-202354.60 Division 4 Table
Matches
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Division 4 Final
Division 4 Scoring Statistics Overall RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage1Robert O'Kelly LynchSligo3-516087.502Andrew KilcullenSligo7-3051412.753Mark MoffettCavan4-284075.714Seán O'RiordanLeitrim0-383875.435Reuben MurrayLongford1-333684.506Gerard O'Kelly LynchSligo8-113584.387Niall ArthurMonaghan0-353575.008Seán KeatingCavan2-253174.439Daniel MillerLeitrim1-273074.2910Thomas CawleySligo3-202983.63
Scoring events
Widest winning margin: 37 points Sligo 2-34 - 0-03 Warwickshire (Division 4 Round 4) Most goals in a match: 7 Dublin 4-19 - 3-22 Wexford (Division 1B Round 4) Most points in a match: 58 Limerick 2–27 – 0-31 Galway (Division 1A Round 7) Most goals by one team in a match: 6 Cork 6-26 - 0-20 Offaly (Division 1A Round 7) Dublin 6-32 - 0-18 Down (Division 1B Round 6) Mayo 0-12 - 6-23 Laois (Division 2 Round 1) Kerry 6-24 - 0-15 Mayo (Division 2 Round 6) Most points by one team in a match: 37 Mayo 1–14 – 2–37 Westmeath (Division 2 Round 7) Highest aggregate score: 68 points Dublin 6-32 - 0-18 Down (Division 1B Round 6) Lowest aggregate score: 25 points Louth 0-11 – 0–14 Roscommon (Division 3 Round 4) References