The reverse is employed for the other group, which features the Leinster champions, Ulster champions, Connacht runners-up (or the team that defeats them in the qualifiers) and Munster runners-up (or team that defeats them in the qualifiers).

[6] The top two teams in each of the two Super 8 groups advance to the semi-finals, with the winners of those matches meeting in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.

[6] The All-Ireland final was initially scheduled for 26 August 2018 but was moved to 2 September 2018 to avoid clashing with Pope Francis's visit to Ireland.

Prominent sportswriter and RTÉ Sport analyst Joe Brolly referred to the new system as the "Super 8/Crap 25".

The round 1 draw was unrestricted − if two teams had previously met in a provincial match they could be drawn to meet again.

The eight winners of these matches played the eight losing provincial semi-finalists in round 2 of the qualifiers.

The round 2 draw was unrestricted − if two teams have previously met in a provincial match they could be drawn to meet again.

Round 3 draw rules did not allow two teams that had played each other in a provincial match to meet again if such a pairing could be avoided.

Each group consists of two provincial champions and the two losing finalists of the other two provinces or the team that beats them in round four of the qualifiers.

It was rescheduled to 2 September to avoid a clash with the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families 2018.

Marty Duffy (Sligo) retired at the end of 2017 and Rory Hickey (Clare) was ruled out for 2018 due to injury.

RTÉ, the national broadcaster in Ireland, provide the majority of the live television coverage of the football championship in the second year of a five-year deal running from 2017 until 2021.

[23][24] The Sunday Game team of the year was picked on 2 September, the night of the final.

Dublin's Ciarán Kilkenny was named as The Sunday Game player of the year.