The 2021 National Leagues take on a novel format due to the truncated season.

In the small ball, there will be no knockout phase in the top tier. The two counties who win Division 1 groups A and B will be declared joint champions. Should those two teams meet in the championship, that match will double up as the National League final.

In football, each division is split into two groups of four. Each team will play three matches. The top two from each group will then move into the semi-finals, followed by a potential final on June 19/20, if the counties involved do not have championship openers the following weekend. The bottom two teams in each divisional group will proceed to a relegation play-off.

Hurling

Football