In Ireland, football isn’t just a sport; it’s a cultural phenomenon, woven into the high-spirited outlook and lively stadiums. With a deep history and an ardent affection for the beautiful game, the nation has given rise to football clubs that serve as pillars of excellence and tradition.
These soccer clubs have profoundly shaped the football identity of the country, embodying the grace and spirit of the game.
While Gaelic football claims its own spotlight, soccer, much like a fine wine, has aged gracefully, acquiring a substantial and dedicated fan base over the years.
Top Soccer Teams in Ireland
In the grand narrative of history, we have seen clubs that once ruled the roost, fading into obscurity, others lying in a sort of hibernation, and a select few valiantly battling to maintain their status as the professionals of the game.
Here are the 10 best Irish soccer clubs
1. Shamrock Rovers F.C
- Nickname: Hoops
- Year founded: 1899; 124 years ago
- Home Ground: Tallaght Stadium
- Capacity: 8,000.
- Manager: Stephen Bradley
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
Shamrock Rovers’ main team is in the League of Ireland Premier Division, and it’s the most successful club in Ireland. They’ve won the League title 20 times and the FAI Cup 25 times, setting impressive records.
The club has contributed 64 players to the Republic of Ireland national team, more than any other club. In All-Ireland competitions, like the Intercity Cup, they’ve won the most titles, with seven cups overall.
Founded in 1899 in Ringsend, Dublin, Shamrock Rovers didn’t waste time making a mark, winning the League title in their first go in the 1922–23 season.
By 1949, they’d snagged 44 major trophies, solidifying their position as Ireland’s top club.
In the 1950s, they added three more League titles and two FAI Cups, making history as the first Irish team in European competition by participating in the European Cup in 1957.
2. Linfield F.C
- Nickname: The Blues
- Year founded: March 1886; 137 years ago
- Home Ground: Windsor Park
- Capacity: 18,434
- Manager: David Healy
- League: NIFL Premiership
- Still Exist? : Yes
Linfield F.C. is a dominant force in Northern Irish football with a history of domestic and regional success and a long-standing rivalry with Glentoran. They compete in the Irish League’s top division, the NIFL Premiership.
Founded in 1886 by Ulster Spinning Company’s Linfield Mill workers, is the fourth-oldest club in Ireland.
They’ve called Windsor Park home since 1905, the largest stadium in Northern Ireland and also hosting the national team.
The club’s badge features Windsor Castle, honoring the ground’s name. Linfield holds the world record for league titles, with a whopping 56 championships, the latest in the 2021/22 season.
Back in the day, Linfield had a fierce rivalry with Belfast Celtic until Celtic left the league in 1949. Now, their main rival is Glentoran, together known as the Big Two. Every Boxing Day, they clash in a league derby, drawing Northern Ireland’s biggest crowd of the season, excluding cup finals.
3. Dundalk F.C
- Nickname: The Lilywhites
- Year founded: September 1903; 120 years ago
- Home Ground: Oriel Park
- Capacity: 4,500 (3,100 seated)
- Manager: Stephen O’Donnell
- League: League of Ireland
- Still Exist? : Yes
Based in Dundalk, plays at Oriel Park and sports white shirts with black shorts, featuring a crest with three martlets from the town’s old coat of arms.
Starting as Dundalk G.N.R. in 1903, the club was initially a junior team.
In 1922–23, they entered the Leinster Senior League, and after four seasons, they moved up to the League of Ireland for the 1926–27 season. Six years later, they made history as the first non-Dublin club to win the league title.
As of 2023, they’ve won 49 trophies, including four League and Cup ‘Doubles,’ making them the only club with league or FAI Cup wins in every decade since the 1930s.
They stand as the second most successful club in the League’s history, with 14 league titles.
Dundalk ranks highest among Irish clubs in European football, making their debut in the 1963–64 European Cup. In that campaign, they became the first Irish team to win an away match in Europe.
4. Shelbourne F.C
- Nickname: Shels
- Year founded: 1895: 128 years ago
- Home Ground: Tolka Park
- Capacity: 4,450
- Manager: Damien Duff
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
Established in 1895 in Dublin’s Ringsend district by a group led by James Rowan, Shelbourne Football Club derived its name from the nearby Shelbourne Road.
Initially, the club played at Havelock Square, situated just behind the current Aviva Stadium’s north stand.
Shelbourne F.C, a notable soccer team in Ireland, has encountered both highs and lows in recent times.
Currently positioned in the mid-table of the Premier Division after securing fourth place in the previous season, Shelbourne has an illustrious history.
With 13 Premier Division titles, two Second Division triumphs in 2019 and 2021, and additional victories including seven Challenge Cups and eight Shields, they stand as the third most successful team in Ireland, boasting a total of 29 titles.
Shelbourne made history in European football as the first team from Ireland to reach the third round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
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5. Bohemian F.C
- Nickname: Bohs
- Year founded: 6 September 1890; 133 years ago
- Home Ground: Dalymount Park
- Capacity: 4,500
- Manager: Declan Devine
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
The oldest active soccer club in the League of Ireland stands as the fourth most successful in the league’s history.
Before the Football Association of Ireland and League of Ireland came into play, Bohemians competed in the Irish Football League and Irish Cup, both all-Ireland competitions. During that time, they claimed the Irish Cup once and were five-time runners-up, setting a record with 33 Leinster Senior Cup wins.
Founded by members of the Bell’s Academy civil service training college, the Royal Hibernian Military School, medical students, and others, Bohemians play home games at Dalymount Park in Phibsborough, north Dublin.
The club, entirely owned by its members, decided on the red and black club colors at the 4th AGM in October 1893.
With their 11 League of Ireland titles, 7 FAI Cup victories, 6 League of Ireland Shield successes, and 3 League of Ireland Cup wins, Bohs solidify their position as the fourth most successful club in League of Ireland history.
6. St Patrick’s Athletic
- Nickname: The Saints
- Year founded: 1929
- Home Ground: Richmond Park
- Capacity: 5,346 (2,800 seated)
- Manager: Jon Daly
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
Starting out in Phoenix Park, St Patrick’s Athletic made a significant move to their present home at Richmond Park in 1939.
In Irish Club Football, St Patrick’s Athletic have an impressive trophy cabinet, winning nine League Titles, placing them fifth in Irish Football. Alongside this success are four FAI Cups and four League Cups.
Taking charge on May 2, 2023, as interim manager, Jon Daly solidified his position as the full-time manager on May 22, 2023.
Having climbed through the ranks of the Leinster Senior League, the club entered the League of Ireland in 1951 and immediately claimed the Championship.
The pinnacle periods for St Patrick’s Athletic unfolded in the 1950s and 1990s, yielding six of their nine league titles. A noteworthy record for the club is their never having experienced relegation from the Premier Division.
7. Drogheda United F.C
- Nickname: The Drogs
- Year founded: 1919
- Home Ground: Weavers Park
- Capacity: 3,500
- Manager: Kevin Doherty
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
The present-day club is the result of the merger of two former teams in the town: Drogheda United, established in 1919 as a non-league club, and Drogheda F.C., founded in 1962.
The amalgamation took place in 1975, and since 2005, they’ve seen success with victories in two Setanta Sports Cups, an FAI Cup, a League Cup, and their inaugural league title in the 2007 League of Ireland Premier Division.
Since 2021, the club has been competing in the League of Ireland Premier Division, securing automatic promotion as champions of the 2020 League of Ireland First Division.
Despite finishing as runners-up twice, they’ve been known as a team that alternates between the top flight and the second division, earning the nickname “near men” of the league.
They’ve had better fortunes in the second division, winning it five times and claiming victory in the FAI Cup once and the League of Ireland Cup twice.
8. Glenavon F.C
- Nickname: Lurgan Blues
- Year founded: November 1889
- Home Ground: Mourneview Park
- Capacity: 5,000
- Manager: Gary Hamilton
- League: NIFL Premiership
- Still Exist? : Yes
Glenavon made history back in 1951–52 as the first provincial club to grab the Irish League title.
The momentum continued in 1956–57 when they pulled off the league and cup double, becoming the first Northern Irish team to step into the European Cup. The 1950s, often referred to as “the glory years,” saw stars like Wilbur Cush and Jimmy Jones leading the charge.
Since those impressive times, Glenavon hasn’t come as close to league success.
The 1993–94 season saw them narrowly missing out on the championship due to two late goals in the final match. Moving into the 1990s, Glenavon maintained a strong presence in the league, consistently landing good positions and claiming multiple cup victories.
Notable among these were Irish Cup triumphs in 1991–92 and 1996–97. They also made it to the cup finals in 1995–96 and 1997–98, narrowly losing to Glentoran.
Yet, the early 2000s presented challenges, leading to their relegation in the 2003–04 Irish League season. Despite a subsequent promotion, Glenavon faced a tough period during those years.
9. Derry City F.C
- Nickname: Red and White Army
- Year founded: 1928. 95 years ago
- Home Ground: Brandywell Stadium Derry
- Capacity: 3,700
- Manager: Ruaidhrí Higgins
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
Established in 1928, the club kicked off its journey in the Irish League, earning a title in the 1964–65 season.
However, in 1971, safety concerns during the Troubles led to a shift away from the Brandywell, with home games relocated 30 miles to Coleraine. Despite the security situation improving the next year, the Irish League’s insistence on an impractical arrangement prompted the club’s withdrawal.
After 13 years in junior football, they joined the League of Ireland’s new First Division in 1985–86. Derry clinched the First Division title, securing promotion to the Premier Division in 1987, where they remained until an administrative relegation in 2009.
The club achieved a rare domestic treble in the 1988–89 season, a unique accomplishment in the history of the League of Ireland.
Predominantly competing in the Premier Division, the club faced expulsion in November 2009 due to the revelation of secondary, unofficial player contracts.
Although reinstated a few weeks later, they were demoted to the First Division. Undaunted, the club navigated its way back to the Premier Division from the second tier.
10. Cork City F.C
- Nickname: Rebel Army, City
- Year founded: 1984
- Home Ground: Turners Cross
- Capacity: 7,485
- Manager: Liam Buckley
- League: League of Ireland Premier Division
- Still Exist? : Yes
One of Ireland’s most beloved soccer teams has consistently competed at the highest echelons of Irish football, amassing numerous domestic accolades.
Pioneering professionalism in Cork and among the earliest in Ireland, the club fielded a team of professional footballers.
As professionalism advanced, coupled with ongoing developments at the Turners Cross stadium and the shift to summer football, Cork City emerged as one of the largest and most passionately supported clubs in the country.
Noteworthy achievements include Cork City winning its third LOI Premier Division title and securing its first FAI Cup double in the 2017 season.
Although the club temporarily descended to the LOI First Division after the 2020 LOI Premier Division season, it swiftly reclaimed its spot in the top tier by triumphing in the 2022 LOI First Division title race.
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