BBC Sport NI has agreed to a three-year contract with the Irish Football Association and Northern Ireland Football League to provide extensive free-to-air coverage of domestic and international football competitions across television, BBC iPlayer, radio, and digital platforms.
Under the new arrangement, the broadcaster will present 30 live Boyle Sports Premiership matches annually, beginning with Friday night’s north Belfast derby featuring Cliftonville and Crusaders. The deal also encompasses 10 senior Women’s Northern Ireland international fixtures and coverage of domestic cup competitions. Finals of the Clearer Water Irish Cup and BetMcLean Cup will be shown live on BBC television and BBC iPlayer, while matches in the Irish Cup from the fifth round onward will be available as streams.
BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds will continue to provide live commentary on Premiership matches, with highlights from NIFL and Irish Cup games distributed across BBC’s various platforms. The agreement follows a separate commitment ensuring BBC Sport NI will broadcast every Northern Ireland senior men’s international match until June 2028.
Neil Brittain, executive editor of BBC Sport NI, characterized the agreement as reinforcing the broadcaster’s commitment to comprehensive football coverage in Northern Ireland across all available distribution channels. Steven Mills, NIFL Chief Operations Officer, stated the league is pleased to extend the partnership and acknowledged the broadcaster’s significant investment in supporting the Premiership’s growth and profile.
Colin McKendry, Irish Football Association President, expressed satisfaction that the Clearer Water Irish Cup and women’s international matches will continue receiving prominence on BBC platforms, noting the broadcaster’s role in expanding audience reach and engagement with the sport across Northern Ireland.
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