The GAA World Games is an international Gaelic games tournament featuring Irish-born and non-Irish-born competitions.

The now triennial tournament was first played in Abu Dhabi in 2015. The 2016, 2019 and 2023 games took place in Ireland with the finals played at Croke Park (2026, 2019) and Celtic Park, Derry (2023). The competition regularly includes teams from Australasia, USA, New York, Middle East, Asia, Europe, Canada, South Africa and Argentina.

Australasia at the GAA World Games

In 2015, Australasia entered a women’s football team to the World Games in Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately, they were pipped in a thrilling final against the Middle East. 2016 saw the World Games take place at University College Dublin where Australasia teams competed in men’s and women’s football, hurling and camogie. We won the camogie competition, and unfortunately, were losing finalists in women’s football and hurling. The men’s footballers took home the shield trophy.

We entered the 2019 tournament with six teams, including international-born men’s and women’s football teams. Seven states were represented with players from Perth to New Zealand playing. Being crowned World Games champions in camogie again, along with women’s football was a great achievement.

2023’s World Games in Derry were our most successful. We again entered six teams, with our Irish-born women’s footballers, Irish-born men’s footballers and our camogie team claiming world titles.

The 2026 games return to Ireland with Waterford’s SETU Arena and Walsh Park the host venues. Australasia will send teams to compete in the non-Irish-born men’s and women’s football competitions.

GAA World Cups

A previous iteration of the competition took place in the late 1990s. With the growth of our games among non-Irish players in Australasia in the 1990s, we sent men’s and women’s football teams, made up of Australian players, to compete at the GAA World Cups in the early 2000s. Up against fellow international affiliates, our women’s team dominated these tournaments. The 2000 decider saw them defeat North America after extra-time, and they defended their world title with a win over London in 2002, and again in 2005.

GAA World Games 2026