BBC confirms post-split live Irish Premiership matches
With the Gibson Cup on its way to Windsor Park, the focus for the Irish Premiership is now firmly on who can secure an automatic European spot for next season.
Finishing second to Linfield will guarantee that for one club with another spot available through the end of season play-offs.
As the race for that automatic spot heats up, BBC Sport NI will bring you the best of the action.
On Tuesday 1 April, we'll bring you live coverage of the side currently in second spot - Larne - as they travel to Dungannon Swifts on BBC iPlayer.
The final 'Big Two' game of the season will be live on BBC Two NI on Saturday 5 April with Linfield looking to put a dent in their rivals Glentoran's ambitions for that second-place finish.
On the penultimate weekend of the season, we'll bring you Linfield's visit to Larne while on Saturday 26 April you'll be able to watch Larne against Glentoran with both games again on the BBC iPlayer.
Full live coverage details
Tuesday 1 April: Dungannon Swifts v Larne (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer
Saturday 5 April: Linfield v Glentoran (13:00 BST) - BBC Two NI
Friday 18 April: Larne v Linfield (19:45 BST) - BBC iPlayer
Saturday 26 April: Larne v Glentoran (17:30 BST) - BBC iPlayer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
Andorra vs England live stream: How to watch 2026 World Cup qualifier online from anywhere
The Andorra vs England live stream sees the Three Lions aim to make it three wins from three World Cup qualifiers against the team sitting bottom of Group K — and you can watch it from anywhere with a VPN, potentially for FREE. The England vs Andorra live stream will take place on Saturday, June 7. ► Time: 5 p.m. BST / 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT / 2 a.m. AEST (Sun)• WATCH FREE — on ITVX (U.K.)• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free The Thomas Tuchel era continues this weekend as England look to follow up their comfortable wins over Albania and Latvia with a convincing victory against Andorra. That means the likes of Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer could feature for the first time under the German, while Harry Kane is expected to lead the line and win his 106th cap to move level with Frank Lampard and Sir Bobby Charlton on the all-time men's appearances list. Andorra have had a dreadful start to qualifying, losing narrowly at home to Latvia before being thumped 3-0 by Albania in Tirana. Bottom of the table and having yet to score a goal, they have also been dealt a huge blow as Albert Rosas, the nation's joint second-highest scorer of all time, is not fit to be in the squad. Read on to get all the details of how you can watch Andorra vs England live streams online, from anywhere and for FREE. Three Lions fans in the U.K. can watch today's England game against Andorra on ITV1 or stream it online via ITVX. ITVX is a free service but you will need a valid U.K. TV license. If you're not currently in the U.K. but have a valid TV license, you can still watch an England vs Andorra live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. Andorra vs England live streams will be shown on different channels across the world, but what if you're not in your home country and want to watch it on your usual service? You can still watch Andorra vs England live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for soccer fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate as the best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features, too. With over 5,000 servers, across 60 countries, and at a great price, it's easy to recommend. Get 60% off NordVPN with this deal Using a VPN is incredibly simple. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view your U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ITVX or another service and watch the game. Soccer fans in the U.S. can watch Andorra vs England on FOX's FS1 channel or the FOX website with a valid login. If you've cut the cord and don't have access to FS1 on cable, you have plenty of options. Our top pick is Sling TV: the Sling Blue package costs from just $40/month with a discounted first month. It comes with more than 40 channels including FOX (if you have a local Fox Network on Sling) and FS1. Fubo is another option. The Pro Plan costs $80/month but gives you 100+ channels, including FOX and FS1, plus lots more for sports fans to enjoy. If you already use those services but aren't in the U.S. right now, you can watch Andorra vs England live streams by using a VPN such as NordVPN. Canadians can watch Andorra vs England, along with every other Nations League game, on sports streaming specialist DAZN. DAZN costs $34.99/month fee, although you can save a little by buying an annual pass for $300. DAZN has apps on pretty much every streaming platform around. Canadians stuck abroad who still want to watch via DAZN can use a VPN such as NordVPN to make their streaming device believe it's back home in Canada. The Andorra vs England live stream is on Optus Sport in Australia, which has the rights to all FIFA World Cup qualifying games in the current cycle (as well as all Premier League live streams). Optus can be accessed via a dedicated mobile or tablet app, and also on streaming devices such as Chromecast and Apple TV. It costs $24.99/month or an annual plan is $229, and it's cheaper if you're already an Optus customer. Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your Optus account as if you were back home. Kiwis can access an Andorra vs England live stream via Sky Sport Now. This costs $29.99/week, $49.99/month or $499.99/year. For those looking to watch live on TV, this game will also be shown on Sky Sport 4 and via the Sky Sport Go app for subscribers. Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow the game by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
How Pacers coach Rick Carlisle helped Thunder GM Sam Presti break into NBA C-suite
How Pacers coach Rick Carlisle helped Thunder GM Sam Presti break into NBA C-suite A general manager's job is to win now and plan for the future. It's not easy. Since taking the Thunder job in 2007, Sam Presti has turned the franchise into one of the NBA's best. Show Caption Hide Caption Pacers and Thunder NBA Finals is better than it's 'small-market' billing USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down the star-studded NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Sports Pulse OKLAHOMA CITY — Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti is a student of the game. Not just of the people who played in the NBA, but the people behind the scenes, the GMs and front-office executives who helped define the position and made it what it is today – an indispensable role necessary to competing for championships. When Presti was named NBA Executive of the Year last month, he released a statement and within, mentioned several former executives: Wayne Embry, Kevin O'Connor, Jack McCloskey, Rod Thorn, Sam Schuler, Mark Warkentien, John Gabriel, Bob Whitsitt, Carroll Dawson, Scott Layden and Geoff Petrie among others. Some of those names are familiar. Some are forgotten. But not to Presti, who made sure the trailblazers are appreciated. ANALYSIS: A tale of two point guards: Thunder have MVP, Pacers have Mr. Clutch OPINION: Thunder filled with regret after fumbling NBA Finals Game 1 Presti, 47, started in this business when he was 22 – a video intern for the San Antonio Spurs in 2000. Quickly, Presti, who graduated from and played basketball at Emerson College in Boston, moved into the scouting and player personnel department. He began traveling and got to know those executives he named. Sitting with them at airports. Visiting European cities with them in search of a hidden gem. They might arrive at a gym in Ljubljana only to find out the player they wanted to scout was no good. Maybe they traded NBA apparel for a VCR cassette recording of a potential prospect. Or maybe Presti saw something in a young Tony Parker and encouraged the Spurs to draft him. Spending time with Embry, O'Connor, McCloskey, Gabriel, Dawson and others, Presti learned about team building. McCloskey's work with the Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys in the 1980s left an impression. McCloskey shipped fan favorite Adrian Dantley to the Dallas Mavericks for Mark Aguirre. The smaller trades were important, too, and acquiring Rick Mahorn helped shape Detroit's 1989 championship. Consider a couple of Presti's moves: Trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and trading Josh Giddey to Chicago for Alex Caruso. Embry drafted Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper and acquired Mark Price in a draft-day trade, turning the Cleveland Cavaliers into one of the top teams in the East. Think about some other moves Presti has made: drafted Aaron Wiggins No. 55 in 2021; drafted Chet Holmgren No. 2 overall, Jalen Williams No. 12 and Jaylin Williams No. 34 in 2022; selected Cason Wallace No. 10 in 2023; drafted Ajay Mitchell No. 38 in 2024; signed Isaiah Joe and Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. Presti has found value through the three-pronged approach to team-building: trades, draft picks and free-agent signings. How Sam Presti built the Thunder for long-term success A GM's job is to win now and plan for the future. It's not easy. Since taking the Thunder job in 2007, Presti has turned the franchise into one of the best in the NBA. From 2009-10 through 2019-20, the Thunder made the playoffs 10 times in 11 seasons, reaching the NBA Finals in 2012 with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden and the Western Conference finals in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. They averaged 51 wins in that span. After 2019-20, Presti promoted Mark Daigneault from assistant to head coach and embarked on a rebuild that has led to this Finals appearance. Presti wants another decade of 50-win seasons and championship-caliber teams. The Thunder won 57 games last season, 68 this season and are set up contractually to keep Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Jalen Williams. MORE: How Shaq 'flipped the script,' expanding fortune after retirement ANALYSIS: Unsung heroes? Underrated players who could make a difference in NBA Finals 'I didn't know much about professional basketball before I came here, and so my entire philosophy in professional basketball was underneath the umbrella of the Thunder organization,' said Daigneault, who was an assistant for Billy Donovan at Florida before joining the franchise in 2014. 'Our philosophical alignment is so tight because of that, because this is the only place I've ever worked and this is the only way I've ever done it, and a lot of it is stuff I've learned from Sam and learned from being in this organization in terms of understanding that these organizations are robust. 'It's not just you coaching your team. You're part of a large ecosystem of developing players and developing a team, and you're executing a large strategy for an organization. Those are things that have to exist in order to be a sustainably successful team in the NBA.' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle first met Presti 25 years ago, and Carlisle told reporters that after the Pacers fired him in 2000, he spent time around the Spurs. 'He is from the Boston area. So, he had grown up a Celtics fan,' Carlisle said. 'He actually remembered when I played, which was miraculous to me. Seemed like he was probably way too young for that. We had a couple of dinners together. He asked me, 'What can I do? I got to somehow get a job out of this.' 'I said, 'Just become a guy they can't live without.' ' Presti has done that – first with the Spurs and now during nearly two decades with the Thunder. He has an expert eye for talent, a special knack for roster construction and a clear understanding of the collective bargaining agreement/salary cap machinations. He has the vision to see where the league is headed. 'Sam is a great demonstration of resourcefulness and wherewithal and stuff like that,' Carlisle said. 'He's forged himself a great career. He and (Indiana's) Kevin Pritchard are two of the best franchise builders around.' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sam Presti: 'Seemed like a guy I can trust' Presti also has built relationships with players. It's not a one-way transaction. When the Thunder traded for George, Presti ‒ who has forged relationships with city leaders through philanthropy and commitment to Oklahoma City ‒ kept an open dialogue and when the time came, found a deal that worked for both sides. And he may have found an even better one for the Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander, this season's NBA MVP. 'He's honest and upfront with me from day one,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'That helped our relationship right away. You don't get that very often, especially that early. Seemed like a guy I can trust. He's been that. I just try to be the same back to him. Nothing more than just two guys with good character trusting each other and have one common goal in mind.' You won't hear much from Presti during the Finals. TV cameras may catch him watching a home game from a tunnel near the Thunder's bench. He does two interviews a year, at the start of the season and after it's over, preferring the focus go to players and coaches. And other GMs who came before him and did the job with fewer resources financially, technologically and personnel-wise. Presti has learned from the past while creating his vision for what a team that wants to capitalize on its NBA Finals window should look like today - and in the future. Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
The Club World Cup has faced pushback in Europe but FIFA is banking on its big bet
The Club World Cup. A bold new era for the world's most popular sport — or a major inconvenience, shoe-horned into a soccer calendar that is already at saturation point? FIFA's newly expanded tournament kicks off June 14 in Miami against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe , strike threats and repeated concerns over players' mental and physical welfare due to the increased number of games. There has been no shortage of pushback from Europe since the bumper new addition to soccer's landscape was announced in December 2023 . Voices of dissent from the continent that will be sending the most teams to the tournament have continued virtually right up to its big launch. 'We want to protect football,' David Terrier, president of players' union FIFPRO Europe, said. 'It's a big problem and it's not just about the workload. The question is about the governance because the calendar is a consequence of the governance of football.' FIFA's big bet That sentiment is not shared universally. In many other parts of the world, there is a buzz of anticipation among fans about the opportunity of going up against the giants like Real Madrid in the biggest ever global tournament for clubs. The biggest sales of tickets outside of the United States have come from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico. The brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino , soccer's world governing body is banking on its tournament rivaling the Champions League and Premier League in terms of status, wealth and popularity — describing it as its 'prime club competition.' Featuring 32 teams — expanded from seven — and staged in the U.S. through June and July, it will be played on a four-yearly basis. It means many top players face the prospect of offseason tournaments in three out of every four years going forward, with the Club World Cup sandwiched between the men's World Cup for national teams, the European Championship and Copa America. European doubts The lack of enthusiasm in Europe was striking when the new format was announced. 'I am not against new competitions, I am against the lack of time to recover year by year,' Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said. Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager and now head of global soccer for Red Bull, called it 'useless' as recently as January. 'It means you have no summer break,' he said. 'Who wins the tournament, wow, is the poorest winner ever because you have to play through the whole summer.' A legal complaint by FIFPRO Europe and the association of European Leagues fed into a general sense of negativity from the continent. Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish league, called for the Club World Cup to be withdrawn. Last year there were doubts whether Real Madrid — the most famous franchise in soccer — would even accept its invitation to play after then-coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly suggested the record 15-time European champion would boycott over appearance money. Madrid soon confirmed it would be involved after all. Clubs are taking it seriously Despite the criticism, the tournament is backed by the European Club Association, which represents the majority of its top teams. And those participating are not taking it lightly. Europe will be represented by some of the biggest clubs like Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain . Superstars including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Erling Haaland are expected to play. Madrid has signed Trent Alexander-Arnold early to ensure he is available. Also, midfielder Jude Bellingham will reportedly delay a shoulder operation in order to play. While City forward Phil Foden said he and his teammates were 'mentally drained' after a troubled season when the once-dominant Premier League club ended up trophyless, he did not doubt its determination to win the Club World Cup. 'Some clubs will take it more seriously than others, but I know City and the club we are. We'll definitely take it seriously,' he said. PSG coach Luis Enrique was also enthusiastic. 'I think it is an incredible competition. Maybe not now in its first edition, but it will become an incredibly important competition to win,' he said. The potential for the winner to take home $125 million from a total prize pot of $1 billion has also likely helped fuel interest from clubs participating. Lack of communication Europe's leagues and players' union say it was a lack of talks that put them on a collision course with FIFA over the tournament. Both of those bodies want to be consulted about new competitions being added to the calendar and that was the basis of their case with the European Commission, said Mathieu Moreuil, vice president of European Leagues. 'I mean we sent in letters, we tried to engage, there was no real consultations through any kind of committees or anything,' he said. Moreuil spoke at a briefing held in Munich ahead of the Champions League final last month, which The Associated Press attended. It was evidence of the intention to continue to apply pressure to FIFA even in the final weeks before the Club World Cup kicks off. 'FIFA is the one dealing with world football and is the governing body and they should take care of the game,' Moreuil said. FIFA didn't reply to requests for comment. Big expectations Coaches and players in Latin America have not complained about having to play more matches. In Argentina there is huge expectation. According to FIFA, Boca Juniors was the first team to sell out tickets for its three group stage matches, likely helped by two games in Miami, where there is a large Argentine community. 'I'm going to the Club World Cup with the highest expectations,' said new Boca head coach Miguel Ángel Russo. 'I dream big.' Latin American teams have also been active in the transfer market, making marquee signings in preparation. Former Madrid captain Sergio Ramos joined Mexican team Monterrey. In Argentina, River Plate signed seven new players and Brazilian club Palmeiras paid 18 million euros ($20 million) for striker Paulinho. Wider reception In the host nation, there were joyous scenes when LAFC secured the last place in the tournament after a playoff victory against Club America of Mexico last month. It will join Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders representing the U.S. In Japan thousands of fans unfurled a huge flag saying 'Grab the World Cup' ahead of Urawa Reds' last domestic game before heading to the U.S. For South Korea, represented by Ulsan HD, it is a case of national pride to take part. 'This is not just the journey of one club, but a message that the entire K-League sends to the world,' said local news outlet Asia Today. For Saudi Arabia, the Club World Cup is the chance to show the rapid growth of its Pro League following the oil-rich kingdom's drive to become a major player in soccer , which has included luring Cristiano Ronaldo and winning the right to host the 2034 World Cup. It will be represented by its most successful team, Al-Hilal, which failed in an attempt to sign Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes in the weeks leading up to the tournament. ___ AP reporters Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo, Debora Rey in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and John Duerden in Seoul, South Korea, contributed. ___ James Robson is at ___ AP soccer:
