While Gaelic games are the most watched sports in Ireland, more people play soccer than any other sport.

Soccer, which is commonly referred to as football in Dublin, is governed by the FAI. It oversees Ireland’s domestic leagues, as well as its national teams.

The different levels of soccer in Dublin

Football is especially popular in Dublin’s urban areas. The Leinster Senior Football League, which operates the city’s amateur leagues, has 20 different divisions to suit players of every calibre.

The Dublin and District Schoolboys League, which has been around since 1943, is also affiliated with more than 200 clubs. It operates divisions to cater for boys and girls under 7, up to under 18s.

The top tiers of football in Ireland are known as the SSE Airtricity League. It features the Premier Division and the First Division for men, as well as the Women’s Premier Division.

There are five Dublin teams in the Men’s Premier Division: Bohemian F.C., Shamrock Rovers F.C., Shelbourne F.C., St Patrick’s Athletic and UCD.

In the Women’s Premier Division, five teams hail from Dublin: Bohemian F.C., Shamrock Rovers F.C., Shelbourne F.C., Peamount United and DLR Waves.

At an international level, the Republic of Ireland field twenty teams with the Irish senior men’s and women’s being the most well known. Back in 1990, Ireland reached the quarterfinals of the men’s World Cup – an event which is still remembered fondly by football fans throughout the country today.

Getting involved in Dublin football

If you’re interested in attending a football match in your local area, you’ll find the Irish league fixtures for men’s football here and women’s football here.

If you’d like to train with a local team, you’ll find a comprehensive list of all the soccer clubs in Dublin here.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to get involved in another sport, you can check out the other games that make up Dublin’s sporting landscape here.