<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-06-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001012477</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVDL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001410677</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DIVIS GREG J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>BLOCK 10-1 BLANCHARDSTOWN CORPORATE PARK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DUBLIN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>L2</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>IRELAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>See Remarks</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>ADSs</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.40</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-12-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>ADSs</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>150000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>150000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.95</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2027-12-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>ADSs</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2028-03-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>ADSs</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The issuer's &quot;ADSs&quot; are American Depositary Shares, with each ADS representing one ordinary share, nominal value $0.01 per share, of the issuer; ADSs may be represented by American Depositary Receipts.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 22,500 restricted shares granted under the issuer's Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan on 12/12/2017, under which 15,000 ADSs will vest and be issued on the second anniversary of the grant date and the remaining 7,500 ADSs will vest and be issued on the third anniversary of the grant date (with vesting of these restricted shares subject to the reporting person remaining in continuous service until the applicable anniversary of the date of grant).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Options become exercisable as to 37,500 ADSs on each of the first four anniversaries after the 12/14/2016 grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Options become exercisable as to 25,000 ADSs on each of the first four anniversaries after the 12/12/2017 grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Options become exercisable as to 12,500 ADSs on each of the first four anniversaries after the 3/22/2018 grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Executive VP, Chief Operating Officer</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Phillandas T. Thompson as attorney in fact for Greg J. Divis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-06-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
