The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2026 season.
On 3 December 2025, Caolan Ward announced his retirement from inter-county football.
Patrick McBrearty, the captain, was then forced to retire because of injury, with that announcement coming on 15 December 2025.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 County SFC, Peter Campbell from the Donegal Democrat wrote that Jim McGuinness, the Donegal manager, "will surely have made an approach" to Kieran Gallagher of Naomh Conaill. Naomh Conaill player Ciarán Thompson, speaking at the launch of the 2026 Dr McKenna Cup, confirmed that "Shea Malone, Kieran Gallagher, Ultan Doherty and Max Campbell (from Naomh Conaill) are new to the panel this year".
MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey is unavailable due to its facilities being upgraded.
In December 2025, a new retro style jersey for the team to wear in 2026 was launched.
The Dr McKenna Cup is to return on 2 January after an absence of one year. The draw was held on 2 December 2025, with Donegal placed in Section C, to compete in Rounds 1 and 3. The team's opening game, a home fixture against Derry, is scheduled for 4 January.
Donegal's fixtures for the 2026 NFL were announced in early December 2025.
The draw for the 2026 Ulster SFC took place on 27 November 2025. Ciarán Thompson, out injured after tearing his ACL while playing for Donegal in the 2025 All-Ireland SFC final, drew the names. Donegal and Down were paired together in a quarter-final, with the winner of that game set to meet one of Armagh, Fermanagh or Tyrone in a semi-final.