Arabic version: بي بي سي سبورت أيرلندا الشمالية تؤمّن اتفاقاً لثلاث سنوات لبث كرة القدم

According to BBC News, BBC Sport NI has agreed a new three-year broadcast deal with the Irish FA and Northern Ireland Football League to continue free-to-air coverage of international and domestic football across BBC iPlayer, online, radio and television.

The agreement will provide 30 live Boyle Sports Premiership streams each season, beginning with Friday night’s north Belfast derby between Cliftonville and Crusaders. BBC Sport NI will also show 10 senior Women’s Northern Ireland international matches per season and coverage from domestic cup competitions.

The finals of the Clearer Water Irish Cup and BetMcLean Cup will be broadcast live on BBC television and BBC iPlayer. Irish Cup matches will also be streamed from the fifth round onwards. Live Irish Premiership coverage will remain on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds, while highlights from NIFL and Irish Cup games will be available across BBC platforms.

Neil Brittain, executive editor of BBC Sport NI, said the agreement reinforced the broadcaster’s commitment to coverage ranging from national teams to domestic league and cup football. NIFL Chief Operations Officer Steven Mills said the coverage had helped raise the Premiership’s profile, while Irish Football Association President Colin McKendry said continued coverage would offer supporters more opportunities to follow the game.

The deal follows confirmation that BBC Sport NI will broadcast every Northern Ireland senior men’s international until June 2028.