Wales vs Northern Ireland TV, Channel, Kick‑off and Stream 2026

Key points

• Wales host Northern Ireland in an international friendly at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, at 7:45 pm.
• The match is being billed as a “challenge match” and marks the first meeting between the two nations in a decade.
• Both sides are coming off defeats in World Cup‑playoff semi‑finals, with Wales losing 4‑2 on penalties to Bosnia‑Herzegovina at home and Northern Ireland falling 2‑0 to Italy in Bergamo.
• Kick‑off is scheduled for 7:45 pm at Cardiff City Stadium, with pre‑match coverage beginning shortly before.
• The game will be televised live in the UK on BBC One Wales, BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Three, S4C and BBC Two Northern Ireland.
• In addition to terrestrial TV, the match can be streamed via BBC iPlayer, S4C Online and the BBC Sport website.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) March 31, 2026 – Wales host Northern Ireland in an international friendly at Cardiff City Stadium on tonight’s 7:45 pm kick‑off, with live coverage available on BBC One Wales, BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Three, S4C and BBC Two Northern Ireland, as well as via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

This fixture comes after both nations failed to secure World Cup qualification, having been knocked out in the play‑off semi‑finals: Wales lost 4‑2 on penalties to Bosnia‑Herzegovina at home on Thursday, while Northern Ireland were beaten 2‑0 by Italy in Bergamo.

When is the Wales v Northern Ireland match?

The match is set for Tuesday, 31 March 2026, at 7:45 pm at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff.

As reported by the Football Association of Wales in its build‑up material, the fixture is described as an “International Challenge Match” and will be the first meeting between the two sides in 10 years.

According to ticketing portal Live Football Tickets, the fixture is listed as an International Friendly taking place at Cardiff City Stadium at 19:45 on 31‑03‑2026, reinforcing the same kick‑off time.

Which TV channel will show Wales vs Northern Ireland?

In the UK, the match will be shown live on BBC One Wales and BBC One Northern Ireland, with additional coverage on BBC Three and BBC Two Northern Ireland.

S4C, the Welsh‑language public broadcaster, will also transmit the game, with its own coverage starting from 7:20 pm, while BBC Wales’ coverage begins at 7:30 pm ahead of the 7:45 pm kick‑off.

As detailed by a UK‑based live‑football‑on‑TV listings site, the Wales v Northern Ireland friendly will air on BBC One Wales, BBC Three, S4C and BBC Two Northern Ireland, with simulcasts on BBC iPlayer and S4C Online.

How can fans live stream the match?

Fans in the UK can watch the match via live stream on BBC iPlayer, S4C Online and the BBC Sport website, which will carry the same broadcast as the linear TV channels.

According to the Football Association of Wales’ preview, supporters are encouraged to watch the game through BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, in addition to the S4C and BBC One Wales television broadcasts.

A dedicated live‑football‑on‑TV guide notes that the friendly will be streamable on BBC iPlayer, S4C Online and the BBC Sport website, with no additional subscription required beyond a standard UK TV licence.

Why is this match being played?

The fixture is being staged as an international friendly, or “challenge match”, to give both squads a competitive outing after their World Cup‑playoff exits.

As reported by the Football Association of Wales, this will be the first meeting between Cymru (Wales) and Northern Ireland in a decade, with the last encounter coming in the Euro 2016 Round of 16 in Paris, where Wales won 1‑0 via a Gareth McAuley own goal under manager Chris Coleman.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, who was also in charge in that Euro 2016 meeting, has returned for a second spell in charge, adding a narrative thread to the renewed fixture.

How did both teams exit the World Cup play‑offs?

Wales were eliminated in the World Cup play‑off semi‑finals after losing 4‑2 on penalties to Bosnia‑Herzegovina at home on Thursday night, despite having held the visitors to a 0‑0 draw after 90 minutes.

As noted by the same Welsh‑based coverage, that defeat left the Dragons without a World Cup spot and shaped the mood around this friendly, which is described as a contest “in many ways … not one that either team particularly desired”.

Northern Ireland, meanwhile, were beaten 2‑0 by Italy in Bergamo in their play‑off semi‑final, with the scoreline confirming their exit from the World Cup qualification race.

What is the historical context of Wales vs Northern Ireland?

The last time the two nations met was in the Euro 2016 Round of 16 in Paris, where Wales edged a 1‑0 victory thanks to an own goal by Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley.

As reported by the Football Association of Wales, that match was under Welsh manager Chris Coleman and Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill, with both managers now connected again through this friendly.

Tonight’s game therefore ends a 10‑year gap between fixtures, with the FAW highlighting it as the first meeting between the two countries in that period.

How is the fixture being framed by the home side?

The FAW is promoting the fixture as an International Challenge Match taking place at Cardiff City Stadium at 7:45 pm, underlining both the timing and the venue for fans.

In its preview, the association notes that the encounter will be the first between the two nations in a decade, explicitly referencing the Euro 2016 clash in Paris as the last time they faced one another.

The tone from the FAW leans towards presenting the game as an opportunity for both sets of players to test themselves after the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification, while also offering supporters a rare cross‑border fixture.

How is the friendly being covered elsewhere?

Wales‑based outlet WalesOnline reports that kick‑off is at 7:45 pm at Cardiff City Stadium, and that coverage will begin at 7:30 pm on BBC Wales and 7:20 pm on S4C, with live streaming also available via BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and S4C’s own digital platforms.

A UK‑focused live‑football‑on‑TV listings site (Live Football On TV) confirms that the Wales v Northern Ireland international friendly will be broadcast on BBC One Wales, BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Three, S4C and BBC Two Northern Ireland, and that the game will be streamable on BBC iPlayer and S4C Online.

International sports outlets such as ESPN (India) list the fixture as a 2026 International Friendly at Cardiff City Stadium, with kick‑off shown as 00:15 (local time) on 1 April 2026, which corresponds to the 7:45 pm UK time on 31 March.