Longford Town will begin their SSE Airtricity first division season at home to Cobh Ramblers on Saturday February 19th.
In line with the SSE Airtricity Premier Division, the nine first division clubs will now play each other twice home and away.
The opening round of fixtures will see Longford Town and Waterford FC begin life in the First Division at home to Cobh Ramblers and away to Athlone Town respectively.
Bray Wanderers will host Cork City while Wexford FC will welcome Treaty United to Ferrycarrig Park.
Galway United will sit out the first weekend of fixtures and will begin their season away to Cork City on February 25. The League of Ireland season will close with the Extra.ie FAI Cup final on November 13.
“With nine teams on board for the 2022 season we sat down with the clubs, managers, players, PFA Ireland and our own National League committee before finalising this schedule. We look forward to a competitive and compelling First Division next season and I want to again thank SSE Airtricity for their continuing support of the League of Ireland” said league of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon.
For the 2022 season, the nine-team format will see the SSE Airtricity First Division champions promoted automatically to the Premier Division with the sides finishing in second, third, fourth and fifth spots contesting a promotion/relegation play-off series alongside the team that finishes ninth in the Premier.
The First Division teams finishing second and fifth and the teams in third and fourth place will play each other in a two-legged play-off with the winners then contesting a one-legged final. The winner of this tie will then play the team that finishes ninth in the
