Premier League vs League of Ireland: What Irish fans really choose
In the Republic of Ireland, soccer is one of the most popular sports. Fans closely follow the national team and clubs as they compete on the international stage. Unfortunately, the domestic league has not yet generated the same level of interest. The Ireland Premier Division has traditionally been overshadowed by the EPL. Many fans prefer to follow the twists and turns of the English Premier League, which is easily understandable given the vast difference in the caliber of the tournaments. It is unrealistic for local club soccer to compete with its neighbors’ Premier League in the foreseeable future, but that does not mean it has no hope for development and reaching a new level.
Why this debate matters
Is it normal for fans to prefer a neighboring country’s league over their own, even if it’s much more exciting and competitive? Could this situation change in the near future? Let’s try to figure it out.
Irish fans often follow both
First of all, it’s worth noting that nothing is stopping you from following both football leagues. It’s perfectly natural to root for both your local team and a club competing for titles in England and Europe. Of course, sometimes you have to make a choice when matches overlap, but overall, you don’t have to focus on just one tournament. Online football betting platforms have long proven that it’s no problem to track broadcasts of multiple competitions simultaneously if they’re truly interesting.
The two leagues offer different value
Ireland’s Premier Division, to put it mildly, is not among the top leagues in European football. As of April 2025, it ranks 31st out of 55 participants in the UEFA Association Rankings. Of course, when compared, for example, to the neighboring Irish Premiership, things aren’t so bad, but fans certainly dream of more. However, a lack of strong results on the international stage is no reason for fans to stop supporting their clubs. People eagerly watch the local league for many reasons:
cheering for a team from your city or even your neighborhood, where your friends and acquaintances might play, evokes special emotions;
you can regularly visit the stadium and watch the teams face off live;
there’s more of the tough, no-holds-barred competition typical of lower-tier leagues, but “old-school” fans really love it;
you can influence the decisions of your home club’s management by being part of the fan community.
The choice in favor of the English Premier League is also quite understandable. The country currently tops the UEFA rankings. The EPL is rightly considered the most spectacular national soccer tournament. For the Irish, the Premier League is also an opportunity to cheer for their own at the highest level, since the best local players traditionally move to England.
Why the Premier League leads
English football has always been very popular in Ireland. The level of the local league, for all the love and respect it commands, does not give the impression of a top-tier competition. The Premier League—and before that, England’s Premier Division—is viewed here as a much more prestigious competition.
Quality and visibility stay higher
The highest level of English clubs is evidenced by their regular victories in European cup competitions. If you look at the football betting odds for the Champions League winner before the competition begins, you will always see several EPL teams among the favorites, which speaks volumes in itself. England is home to true global soccer stars, with a higher concentration of them here than anywhere else.
The financial resources of the tournament’s participants allow even teams at the bottom of the standings to sign top players. The EPL is the richest league on the continent. Other countries can only dream of such revenue from the sale of television rights. It is precisely these impressive financial resources, naturally backed by local soccer traditions, that secure the positions English clubs hold today.
Irish links strengthen loyalty
The best Irish players traditionally move to England to play, often at a very young age. This has been the case for many decades. The history of the top division of English football has seen many stars from Ireland, from Billy Gillespie to Roy Keane. People enjoy following the successes of their compatriots.
In general, the two countries have very long-standing and close ties. Virtually every Irish family has relatives living in England. The tradition of supporting a particular club is often passed down from generation to generation. Thanks to the geographical proximity, going to a match in London or Manchester on the weekend isn’t too difficult. In other words, Irish fans have the opportunity to regularly support their favorite English team in the stands, which further strengthens their attachment.
Why the League of Ireland is growing
There is some good news for fans of the Ireland league. Since 2024, it has been experiencing a major upswing, which has even been dubbed a “renaissance” of local soccer. Experts note the following positive developments:
a sharp increase in attendance—+11.7% in 2025 compared to 2024;
the full professionalization of the Premier Division—in 2025, every single club achieved professional status, something that had never happened before;
significant government investment in soccer academies—in 2025, the government allocated several million euros to develop young talent and keep them in the country;
accessible TV broadcasts—for the first time in history, at least one match from every round of the League of Ireland Premier Division can be watched live for free on Virgin Media Television.
Local clubs have performed quite successfully in recent European Cup seasons. In particular, in the 2024/25 Conference League, Shamrock Rovers managed to advance past the group stage and reach the tournament’s playoffs. Last fall, they once again qualified for the group stage of this competition, joined by the national champions, Shelbourne. These results have significantly improved Ireland’s position in the UEFA association rankings.
Hopes for a brighter future
The positive trends in the league’s development are certainly encouraging.
Yes, true fans are ready to support their favorite team and enjoy football betting even in difficult times. But, of course, everyone wants to see their home club compete at the highest level. You can be a die-hard fan of Liverpool, Arsenal, or Manchester United, but that can’t replace the emotions you feel when cheering for your own team. In Ireland, there is a belief that the active development of the local league is bringing closer the time when it will join the top football leagues, and local teams will become truly competitive in Europe.
Infrastructure improvements
The launch of the FAI’s “Time to Change The Game” program (2026–2029) has provided an additional reason for optimism. The Football Association has announced plans to secure large-scale government investment to modernize stadiums and training facilities across the country. The program’s total funding requirement is estimated at €863 million.
The successful implementation of this project appears to be a perfectly achievable goal, especially given that Ireland will be one of the hosts of the European Football Championship in 2028. Outdated stadium infrastructure has long been cited as the main obstacle to the development of Irish football leagues. Now is the ideal time to make sweeping improvements to the situation.
What shapes fan preference
A true fan strives to get as much as possible out of the game they love. They want to celebrate their home team’s successes, watch world-class matches, and even enjoy football betting online in the hope of winning additional money.
Global appeal competes with local identity
The popularity of the English Premier League in Ireland is quite natural. If the soccer leagues of both countries were even roughly on the same level, there would be no doubt as to which one local fans would prioritize. Unfortunately, in the current situation, the Irish league is nowhere near even the Championship. You can love your own football deeply and be its most passionate supporter, but you always want to follow the competitions of the best.
TV access differs from the matchday experience
The main advantage of home Irish football, of course, is the opportunity to watch matches at the stadium. Watching the twists and turns of the game from the stands is a special pleasure. These emotions cannot be compared to watching on TV. Trips to England are also accessible to many residents of the country, but it is far from a cheap pleasure, especially on a regular basis. And it takes quite a bit of time to travel there. Getting to a home or even an away stadium in Ireland is much easier.
Where Irish Fandom is heading
In recent years, fan communities supporting local teams have been growing in popularity in Ireland. In particular, there has been a rise in more radical Ultras groups.
EPL still dominates overall
Irish fans of the English Premier League can be broadly divided into two categories. The first consists of fans who regularly watch matches on TV at home, in a pub, or at a sportsbook, where they can place football bets in addition to watching the broadcast. The second group includes active fans who travel abroad to watch their team’s games.
The number of fans in the first category generally remains stable. They have no conflict of interest. They can easily combine watching matches from both leagues and even attend games at their local stadium. The EPL is the best league in the world, so there’s no reason to miss out on such an exciting spectacle.
LOI keeps building momentum
However, among young football fans, there is a growing trend toward actively supporting local clubs. The Irish league has been growing in recent years, and many want to be a part of it. If you want to be Ultras, you have to make a choice. It’s okay to have favorite teams in other countries, but your home team should always come first. It’s clear that the base of Irish football fans for English clubs hasn’t been growing as rapidly as before, and this is due to the exodus of young people choosing the local league.
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