It’s been over 22 years in the making, but for the first time since 2004, the Blues will feature in the biggest day on the Irish footballing calendar tomorrow afternoon – facing Derry City at the Aviva Stadium in the 2026 Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final, and we have put together everything you need to know ahead of kick-off.
Derry City vs Waterford FC
2026 Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final
Sunday 8th November 2026
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
3pm
WATERFORD FC
A 22 year wait will finally end tomorrow afternoon in Landsdowne Road, as Waterford FC face Derry City in this years Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final – our first FAI Cup Final appearance since 2004.
Waterford last won the FAI Cup back in 1980, when Brian Gardiner’s first-half goal against St. Patrick’s Athletic at Dalymount Park secured just our second-ever FAI Cup triumph. Our first FAI Cup success was back in 1937 when the Blues defeat St. James’s Gate 2-1, also at Dalymount Park.
Derry City stand in the way of Waterford lifting the historic FAI Cup for just a third time in our history tomorrow afternoon, with both sides sharing the results from our previous four meetings this season (one win a piece along with two 2-2 draws).
With FAI Cup Final winning experience already in our squad in Tommy Lonergan (with St. Pats in 2023) & Luke Heeney (with Drogheda in 2024), Graham Coughlan’s side will look to finish their season with silverware for the first time since 2017 (First Division champions).
DERRY CITY FC
Mark Connolly’s Candystripes head to the Aviva Stadium for the third time in five years, looking to bring the FAI Cup back to Derry for the seventh time in their history.
Derry’s path to this years FAI Cup Final saw them defeat Tolka Rovers 3-0 in the 2nd round, before getting beyond UCD in the 3rd round. A 4-2 home win over Dundalk in the quarter-finals was followed up with a 2-0 semi-final win away to Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park to secure their place in this years showpiece event against the Blues.
The Candystripes ended their season in a rich vein of form, losing just one of their last 10 competitive games in all competitions.
GRAHAM COUGHLAN’S THOUGHTS
“Waterford is blue at the minute. You can see all the flags out on the street and the buntings and all that, and the people are buzzing about the place. So yes, look, that’s nice. That’s a nice feeling. But as I say, I’ve been to many a final in my past, in my playing career. I’ve played in many a final and been as a coach in finals, and I’ve come out the wrong end of one or two, and that’s not a nice feeling. That’s a feeling that I will definitely be trying to avoid on Sunday.
The fans have been phenomenal. The tickets are flying. There’s going to be a sea of blue at the Aviva. From my first day in, the noise of the Block E, the lads bouncing about on the drums, and just the energy that drove into the team and drove into the warm-ups and drove into the games, the energy that the fans drive in for us was absolutely phenomenal. They’ve obviously got a huge, huge part to play in it and the day out should be for them as well on Sunday because, as I said, it was a collective. Everybody together kept this team up. Not just the players, not just the goal scorers, not just the management, the support, everybody. Everybody played a huge, huge part in that. That’s staff, tea ladies, kitchen staff, the lot, everybody.
I don’t just want this to be the first final they reach. I don’t just want this to be the first three-game unbeaten run or four-game unbeaten run. Seventh in the league, is that worth celebrating? Not for me, I’m afraid. If I’m a little bit too grumpy, too picky, so be it. That’s me. I ain’t going to change. But I want more for this group. I want better for this group.
Let’s go and win on Sunday and let’s build something again. The rewards on Sunday are huge. We all know that. The financial rewards, European rewards, personal accolades, that would be brilliant. And then you can roll into next season with a little bit of confidence, a little bit of momentum.”
PÁDRAIG AMOND’S THOUGHTS
“I’ll be the proudest person in the stadium tomorrow. I want to lead those lads out. I want to lead them up the steps. And I want to lift the trophy for that group of players, for the City & County of Waterford and for a club that deserves to be on a bigger pedestal than it has been.
I joke about being the older lad but I look at those boys like little brothers. I try to give them all the advice I’d give to my own little brothers. I want the best for every one of them.
People can write us off if they want. We’re in really good form at the moment. We’ve got confidence in ourselves. It’s not arrogance. It’s confidence because we know when the going gets tough we’re going to run through a brick wall for each other.
The supporters deserve enormous credit. The last two years they backed us when they probably shouldn’t have backed us as much as they did. There’ll be a sea of blue in the Aviva this weekend. Our supporters deserve everything. We’ll leave nothing on the pitch for them. We’ll leave absolutely everything out there.”
WATERFORD FC TEAM NEWS
Graham Coughlan has no fresh injury concerns to worry about ahead of Sunday’s Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final.
The squad have had nine days to rest & recover since their 2026 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division campaign came to a close Friday last week day to Shelbourne in Dublin.
WATERFORD’S ROAD TO THE FINAL
Round 2: Waterford FC 2-1 Cobh Ramblers FC
Round 3: Waterford FC 2-1 Athlone Town AFC
Quarter-Final: Waterford FC 3-0 Sligo Rovers FC
Semi-Fina: Bohemian FC 0-2 Waterford FC
MATCH TICKETS
Match tickets for Sunday’s Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final remain on sale right up until kick-off. With over 12,000 Waterford FC tickets already purchased for tomorrow’s historic final, make sure to pick up yours now.
Click HERE to purchase your Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup Final tickets.
