The IFA executive council has received the resignation of the organisation's president, Eddie Downey, during a crisis meeting this evening.
A new president is due to be elected within two months, according to the IFA's constitution.
The consequences of an IFA election's timing potentially clashing with that of elections for national government are unclear.
Downey was absent from Wednesday's executive council meeting after he decided to "step back" in the wake of the ongoing crisis over senior pay packages at the IFA.
Earlier on Wednesday, the executive council heard that the outgoing president had signed off on a €2m severance package for former IFA general secretary Pat Smith.
The IFA intends to challenge the payment.