Mexico the next destination of the prestigious FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2023

The FIVB and Volleyball World today announced Mexico will host the next edition of the prestigious FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships across multiple cities in the second half of 2023 as the country adds to its impressive portfolio of staging world-class beach volleyball events.

Mexico is part of beach volleyball history as it became the first top-end destination to stage the newly launched Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour with the opening Challenge event taking place in Tlaxcala and the Elite level beach volleyball event in Rosarito. The two cities provided a true celebration of beach volleyball.

Mexico boasts a highly knowledgeable and passionate beach volleyball fanbase and with country’s beach volleyball national team ranked among the top 30 best teams in the men’s and women’s Senior Rankings, Mexican fans have had plenty of reason to cheer in recent years. There is no doubt all beach volleyball fans will witness amazing performances during the next year’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2023.

Mexico’s Sports Minister Ana Guevara said:

“It is an honor for our country to be granted the right to host the 2023 Beach Volleyball World Championship and to establish a joint long-term strategy for the development of Mexican sport, hand in hand with FIVB and Volleyball World.

“This event will definitely strengthen the foundations for new generations of athletes and will serve as a source of inspiration to make sport a tool for the development of our country. Welcome everyone to Mexico, the home of beach volleyball.”

FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça F° said:

“We are extremely pleased to bring the highest-level beach volleyball competition, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2023, to Mexico. We recognise and appreciate the strong partnership we have with the Mexican Volleyball Federation and the vision of Minister Guevara to develop sport, especially beach volleyball, in the country.

“I am sure that the upcoming Beach Volleyball World Championships will inspire the next generation of players and fans across all of Mexico. As part of the innovative programme of Volleyball Empowerment aimed at supporting the national teams around the globe, the FIVB will continue to provide coaching support to the Mexico’s beach volleyball teams on the road to the World Championships.”

Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor said:

“Mexico is one of the strongest partners for Volleyball World and the FIVB and we are very encouraged by the long-term vision of the country’s sport leadership and their ambition to bring more events to the country with the next Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2023 and beyond.”

“Mexico is a strong market in the Americas and we are sure that together we can boost the appeal of our sport in the country and attract more people to this amazing destination. All the beach volleyball events hosted in Mexico proved to be extremely successful and we cannot wait to return there for the World Championships.”

With the 2022 edition of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships culminating in Rome, Italy the whole beach volleyball community, including the athletes and fans, can now look forward to what is going to be an incredible celebration of beach volleyball in passionate Mexico!

¡Nos vemos en México! ¡Nos vemos en la playa!

IBA opens bidding process for World Boxing Events 2023-24 

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has opened the bidding process for World Boxing Tour (WBT) events for 2023-2024. During that period there will be six key WBT events which are planned to offer points towards Olympic qualification. The events are expected to be spread between continents, ensuring fair opportunities to earn a chance to box at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

IBA President Umar Kremlev said: “For many years, IBA has delivered World Boxing Championships for men, women and youth. The World Boxing Tour was designed to expand the opportunities we make available for boxers around the world to participate in international tournaments featuring the best boxers. We are excited to partner with National Federations to deliver the World Boxing Tour and help turn the dreams of boxers worldwide into reality.” 

A hosting outline has been provided to IBA National Federations, featuring WBT requirements, financial expectations, governance models and more, while highlighting the benefits of hosting. This will also enable potential hosts to be more actively engaged in the bid process from an earlier stage and to better understand the WBT events as a platform which creates shared value by facilitating exchanges between athletes, spectators, media and organizers.  

IBA Secretary General Istvan Kovacs added: “When developing the World Boxing Tour, we had to consider not only IBA’s or the boxers’ needs, but also benefits for the hosts. With our model, hosts can expect a straightforward bidding process, supported event delivery, a partnership approach to rights and responsibilities, reasonable expectations, and significant measures aimed at sustainability and legacy.” 

The newly designed hosting requirements and draft of the competitions calendar which has been reviewed, revised and approved by the IBA Athletes’ Committee and the IBA Competitions Committee were distributed among all National Federations.

London Marathon renews partnership with BBC until 2026

London Marathon Events (LME) and the BBC, host broadcaster of the London Marathon since 1981, have agreed a new contract that extends the partnership for a further five years, from 2022 to 2026.

The partnership, now more than four decades old, is one of the longest-standing in British sport. During that time the London Marathon has grown into the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event, raising more than £1 billion for charity and, combined with its virtual edition, the biggest marathon ever staged anywhere in the world.

In addition to coverage of the London Marathon, the BBC will showcase London Marathon Events’ new initiatives to inspire and encourage physical activity, starting with inspiring more children across the UK to take part in the 2022 TCS Mini London Marathon. 

The BBC will also show coverage of other LME events, including The Big Half, the Vitality London 10,000 and the Vitality Westminster Mile, on BBC Red Button or other BBC digital platforms.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events, said: “Our partnership with the BBC goes back more than 40 years and the support of the BBC has been key to the development of the London Marathon into one of the capital’s great days out that is so loved by millions. 

“Together we have worked through many challenges over the years including, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to elite-only races and the first virtual marathon in 2020 – the coverage of which was shortlisted for a BAFTA. 

“We are delighted to continue our partnership and very excited about our new initiative to inspire and encourage physical activity. We are facing a national obesity and mental health crisis and getting active and taking regular exercise is key to addressing this.”

Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, said: “The London Marathon is an iconic event in the UK’s sporting calendar and one that we are thrilled to continue broadcasting for another five years. We look forward to showcasing the elite athletes from the race, as well as the inspiring and touching stories of the thousands of charity runners who take part each year.”

The 2022 TCS London Marathon takes place on Sunday 2 October and then returns to its usual April slot on Sunday 23 April 2023.

Sail GP to return to Sydney harbour in three-season agreement

Together with the New South Wales Government, Sydney has secured the rights to host the most exciting racing on-water, SailGP, for three consecutive seasons. The championship will return to the iconic Sydney Harbour on February 18 and 19 2023, in the ninth event of SailGP Season 3.

The ten teams competing in Season 3 – including new franchises Canada and Switzerland and returning nations Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States – will race on the spectacular Sydney Harbour in the league’s largest season roster to date.

The Australia Sail Grand Prix joins the ten events already announced for Season 3, with the championship having commenced in Bermuda in May this year. From there, the fleet – comprising the sport’s best athletes – will head to Chicago, Plymouth, Copenhagen, Saint-Tropez, Cádiz-Andalucía, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, New Zealand and San Francisco.

An estimated 20,000 people turned out to watch Slingsby’s Australia SailGP Team compete at its home event on Sydney Harbour in December 2021, witnessing the Australia team’s stunning performance to claim victory on home waters. Overall, the event reached 88.5 million people worldwide. 

The NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, will join as the Official Host Venue Partner of the Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney, in a three season deal. Together, SailGP and the NSW Government will showcase Sydney as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, with a focus on driving domestic visitor growth and expenditure.

Stuart Ayres, Minister for Tourism and Sport, said: “I am delighted we have secured the Australia Sail Grand Prix on Sydney Harbour for the next three seasons, which further demonstrates that Sydney is bouncing back to life and is well-and-truly open for business. As one of only eleven iconic locations in the global SailGP league, the Australia Sail Grand Prix will provide a significant boost to the state’s visitor economy by showcasing our spectacular Harbour City to the world. This is another incredible addition to the calendar of world-class international sporting events we are building exclusively for Sydney and the state to deliver on our goal of making NSW the events capital and premier visitor of the Asia Pacific.”

Tom Slingsby, Australia SailGP Team Driver and CEO, said: “We are stoked to be able to work with the NSW Government to secure this world class event in Australia for the next three years. Now having ten F50’s lined up and racing for the first time on Sydney Harbour is going to be a pretty incredible sight for fans and with the calibre of athletes we have on these boats in Season 3, we can expect action-packed and very close racing. We won in front of our home crowd at last year’s Sydney event and our team is laser focused on repeating that again for Australia.”

With SailGP going from strength to strength in Season 3, and returning to Sydney for the fourth time since the league’s inception, SailGP also announces an exciting partnership with Genesis, a global luxury automotive brand that delivers performance and innovation, with a focus towards a more sustainable future. 

Genesis will join as Official Automotive Partner for the Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney, in a multi-year deal. Genesis supports SailGP’s purpose-led agenda for a better planet, with its commitment to becoming a 100% zero emission vehicle brand by 2030 and to pursuing carbon neutrality by 2035. 

Connal Yan, Head of Genesis Motors Australia, said: “Genesis Motors is thrilled to be partnering with SailGP and the New South Wales Government to bring this world class event to the iconic Sydney Harbour. This partnership represents Genesis Motors’ first foray into sailing, providing us with a great opportunity to showcase our progressive and audacious brand to a global audience.”

The Genesis and NSW Government and Destination NSW partnerships were facilitated by IMG, SailGP’s global agency for media rights, sponsorship and host venue rights.

Chris Gilbert, Managing Director of IMG Australia & New Zealand, said: “We are delighted to bring Genesis on board and extend our valued partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW. Set against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, SailGP offers Sydneysiders and visitors alike an unforgettable live event experience and is the perfect tourism postcard for Sydney.”

SailGP will continue to Race for the Future in Season 3, as the first climate positive sports and entertainment property it ensures its host cities share a commitment to climate action and a cleaner future. Season 3 sees the return of the world-first Impact League, tracking the positive actions teams make in terms of sustainability and inclusivity. 

A range of on-water and on-land fan experiences will be on offer for the event providing Australian fans with a front row seat to witness the most technologically advanced catamarans ripping through Sydney Harbour at breathtaking speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h).

Tickets for the Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney will go on sale in October, 2022. For further information on fan experiences visit SailGP.com/Sydney .

Following on from the Australia team being crowned the champions of the first event in SailGP Season 3 in Bermuda last month, the team will prepare to compete in a few days at the T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier on 18-19 June. Racing will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and for free on the Kayo Freebies platform in Australia.

SailGP Season 3 Schedule // 2022-2023

2022

May 14-15 Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess 

June 18-19 T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier 

July 30-31 Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth 

August 19-20 ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen

September 10-11 France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez

September 24-25 Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz

November 12-13 Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas 

2023

January 14-15 Singapore Sail Grand Prix

February 18-19 Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney 

March 18-19 New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch

May 6-7 United States Sail Grand Prix | San Francisco (Season 3 Grand Final) 

UCI Track Champions League 2022 to take place in Berlin, Paris, London and Mallorca

Cycling fans in France and Germany are set to experience the high adrenalin racing of the UCI Track Champions League for the first time, as two new world class venues join the series as part of a reworked calendar for 2022.

Velodrom Berlin and the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (SQY) just outside Paris will host rounds two and three respectively, as part of the five-round season kicking off in Mallorca on November 12th. Just as in 2021, London will again host the double-header grand finale on December 2nd and 3rd. These two new velodromes are held in the highest regard having both welcomed UCI World Championships for track cycling in the past and the SQY Velodrome in Paris has been selected to host the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The UCI Track Champions League will continue its unique format, bringing unpredictable, short format racing and technological fan experience to thousands trackside and millions of TV viewers around the world.

François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, promoter of the UCI Track Champions League said: “Building on the success of the inaugural season, it was a priority of ours to engage key audiences in France and Germany. Following the postponement of the Paris round last year, we are delighted to finally be able to bring the excitement of the UCI Track Champions League to the French National Velodrome along with the Velodrom Berlin. 

“This is the most intense schedule yet with back-to-back racing restoring the excitement the league was set up to harness. Concluding in the world-famous Lee Valley Park to an audience of dedicated fans, the grand finale is set to be spectacular!”

David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) said: “Last year, the UCI Track Champions League provided a spectacular show that put the Olympic discipline of track cycling and its athletes in the spotlight they deserve. The fast-paced, short-format racing proved popular with the fans and the riders, who will be delighted to compete at two prestigious new venues in 2022. With five rounds over four consecutive weekends, there will be little time to draw breath as the best track specialists in the world chase one of the four overall titles at stake in this second edition of the UCI Track Champions League.”

The Race Schedule
Round 1 – Super Launch – November 12 – Palma, Mallorca, Spain   
Velòdrom Illes Balears
The 6000 capacity multisport venue opened in 2007 and hosted the 2007 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. It also hosted the very first round of the UCI Track Champions League in 2021 where it made its international debut to a packed velodrome in front of hundreds of new track cycling fans.

Round 2 – November 19 – Berlin, Germany 
Velodrom Berlin
The Velodrom Berlin venue has a capacity to hold up to 6000 fans for track cycling events, it was completed in 1997 and originally conceived as part of Berlin’s bid to host the Olympics.  From the outside, the spectacular, wood-panelled exterior makes it one of the most unique roof structures in Europe. It was at this velodrome, during the 2020 World Championships, where Discovery and the UCI signed an eight-year partnership to organise the UCI Track Champions League.

Round 3 – November 26 – Paris, France 
Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
This flagship of the French Cycling Federation – The French National Velodrome can hold up to 5000 spectators and opened in 2014. It hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 2015 and UEC Track Cycling European Championships in 2016. The velodrome will host the track cycling at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Round 4 & 5 – Grand Finale – December 2-3 – London, U.K.
Lee Valley VeloPark
The award-winning Lee Valley VeloPark has a capacity for 6,000 spectators and was constructed for the 2012 London Olympics. The venue also hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 2016, Sir Bradley Wiggins’ successful attempt on the UCI Hour Record timed by Tissot  in 2015 and more recently, the back-to-back, sold-out rounds of the UCI Track Champions League in 2021. It will again host the UCI Track Champions League Grand Finale where the champions will be crowned at the end of the 2022 series.

PSG teams up with OneFootball to bring original club content to fans worldwide

French football giant Paris Saint-Germain and OneFootball, the world’s largest football media platform, have today announced a global agreement to share original content from the club’s official website to the OneFootball app and website.

The agreement will see Paris Saint-Germain news available to OneFootball’s global audience of more than 100 million monthly active users and a video distribution network of over 110 premium publishers, offering fans original Paris Saint-Germain content wherever they are, with no restrictions. Paris Saint-Germain content will appear in the user’s news stream as official club content, identified by the Paris Saint-Germain logo. 

Paris Saint-Germain has been a shareholder in OneFootball since December 2020, alongside some of the biggest clubs in world football. OneFootball is the most popular digital 100% football platform for the new generation of young, highly-engaged, mobile-first football fans. 

With Paris Saint-Germain having secured a record 10th Ligue 1 title this season, OneFootball users around the world will now be given unparalleled access to the latest content from the French champions, including news, statistics, match results and original club videos. Editorial content will be available in French, Spanish, Portuguese and English, ensuring a personalised experience for football fans across the globe.

Tom Mueller, VP Partnerships, OneFootball, said: “Having firmly established itself as one of the biggest clubs in world football, we can’t wait to bring more content from PSG’s star-studded squad to the platform as we welcome the club to OneFootball’s network. Our ambition at OneFootball is to help the new generation of young, highly-engaged football fans get closer to the clubs they love. We’re delighted that the Ligue 1 champions are joining the OneFootball family and look forward to bringing more football news from France to our community.” 

Courtesy of OneFootball

Marc Armstrong, Chief Partnership Officer, at Paris Saint-Germain stated: “One of the youngest clubs of elite world football, Paris Saint-Germain is the club of the new generation, always innovating and exploring new territories. As such, we are especially strong on all digital platforms with the aim to offer young fans exciting original content. We are delighted to work alongside OneFootball to speak to an ever growing audience, and together provide the opportunity for millions of fans worldwide to live their Red & Blue passion to the fullest.” 

To mark the launch of this alliance, OneFootball has produced an original video telling the story of a young Paris Saint-Germain fan, Saïd, who is given VIP access to watch his heroes at the Parc de Princes.

FIFA announce 16 cities to host 2026 World Cup across USA, Canada and Mexico

FIFA announced 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup today at a live event in New York City, selecting 11 cities in the United States, three cities in Mexico and two cities in Canada.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark the first time that three countries have hosted the competition.

The selected cities in alphabetical order are:

UNITED STATES: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

MEXICO: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey

CANADA: Toronto, Vancouver

The 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico will host a total of 48 teams and 80 matches under the new expanded format, marking the largest FIFA World Cup in history. 

“It’s a historic day for U.S. Soccer and the entire American soccer community, from every corner of our grassroots all the way to the pros and our National Teams,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “Together with our good friends in Canada and Mexico, we couldn’t be more excited to work with FIFA to host what we think will be the greatest World Cup in history. I want to congratulate all the bid cities that will host games. I know you will all do a fantastic job of sharing your world class stadiums, unique communities and culture, and amazing fans when the world comes to the North America in four years.”

Each of the three host countries had a player representative at the announcement, which was broadcast on FOX Sports 1 and Telemundo, the English and Spanish rights holders, respectively, for the tournament when it is broadcast in the United States. U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Christian Pulisic represented the United States, while Mexico was represented by midfielder Hirving Lozano and Canada by midfielder Jonathan Osorio.

The historic tournament will be the first to feature 48 nations, up from 32 that competed in the last seven tournaments dating back to 1998 when the number of participants was increased from 24.

NHL, NHLPA, PepsiCo extend North American partnership

PepsiCo, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League today announced a multiyear extension of their North American partnership. This extension will now make PepsiCo a more than 20-year NHL and NHLPA partner.

PepsiCo will maintain exclusive NHL and NHLPA North American rights in the carbonated soft drinks, water, energy drinks and savory snack categories. PepsiCo’s wide portfolio of brands includes Pepsi, MTN DEW, Aquafina, Rockstar, Lay’s, Tostitos, Ruffles, Doritos, Cheetos, Rold Gold and Miss Vickie’s.

Through the partnership, PepsiCo will continue innovative activation and increased exclusivity around promotional opportunities. Heightened strategic customer marketing and partnerships are part of the agreement as well. Throughout the partnership, PepsiCo will activate during tentpole NHL events, including NHL All-Star Weekend, NHL Winter Classic®, NHL Stadium Series™, NHL Heritage Classic™, and NHL Global Series™.

Each tentpole event includes a unique activation asset that PepsiCo will use with key customers. PepsiCo will also continue their long-standing integrated Pepsi Zero Sugar Shutouts digital platform on League-operated media channels. Also, as part of the extension, PepsiCo will continue to utilize players in activations and marketing efforts, as a partner of the NHLPA, through the players’ group licensing programme.

“We’re thrilled to extend our long-standing partnership with the NHL and NHLPA allowing us to celebrate hockey fans and the sport they love throughout North America,” said Justin Toman, Senior Director, Sports Marketing, PepsiCo. “Building on our legacy, our brands will continue to generate dynamic programming that takes the fan experience to new heights, especially at some of the most exciting points in the season including tentpole NHL events and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”

“PepsiCo is a blue-chip partner with an incredible capacity to activate across our season, bringing unique NHL experiences and promotions to our fans in channels where we would not otherwise be present. Renewing our over decade-long partnership, which will take us to a more than 20-season relationship is a testament to the value both our brands receive from this alliance,” said Kyle McMann, NHL Senior Vice President, North American Business Development. “We look forward to continuing our partnership and collaborating to create unique activations and opportunities to engage our fans and celebrate our great game on and off the ice.”

“The National Hockey League Players’ Association is very pleased to be extending our already long-term partnership with PepsiCo, a worldwide brand that remains a leader in sports marketing,” stated Devin Smith, Senior Director, Marketing & Community Relations. “PepsiCo has done a wonderful job working closely with the Players in previous marketing campaigns and we have big plans for further Player integration with them as we move forward.”

PepsiCo brands will continue to integrate into NHL and NHLPA media assets, including NHL and NHLPA digital and social media platforms, in addition to maintaining strong presence around major League event platforms, such as NHL Winter Classic, NHL Heritage Classic, NHL Global Series, NHL Stadium Series, NHL All-Star Game, and Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Santander enter esports as main sponsor for the top League of Legends competitions in Europe and Latin America

Banco Santander today announced a multi-year agreement to become a main sponsor of the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) and the Liga Latinoamérica (LLA). In an event hosted in Madrid, some of the most recognized streamers, artists and League of Legends players helped unveil Santander’s esports sponsorship.

League of Legends is one of the most successful esports worldwide, with some of the most developed professional competitions and established community of followers. In 2021 the League of Legends World Championship drew a peak viewership of close to 74 million concurrent live viewers, with an average minute audience of just over 30 million, according to the organizer, making it one of the most watched esports events worldwide. With the claim ‘Level up your dreams’, Banco Santander wants to build a new community and connect with younger generations to help them prosper.

The partnership with the League of Legends European Championship and the Liga Latinoamérica, is a 100% digital media agreement that will complement the bank’s other global sponsorships in F1 and football. This agreement will see the bank also sponsor the League of Legend’s Brazilian Championship (CBLOL). The bank has also previous local experiences in this field, being Openbank the sponsor of the national Spanish competition (Superliga). 

Credit:Santander

As a partner for these League of Legends esport leagues in Europe (LEC) and in Latin America (LLA and CBLOL), Santander will display a variety of assets to promote the brand and raise awareness in the League of Legends communities during the esports events, including: logo placements, dedicated content segments, commercial slots during broadcast breaks, banners, drops and VIP tickets for the finals, among others. 

Juan Manuel Cendoya, global head of Communications, Corporate Marketing and Research at Banco Santander, said: “We are excited to announce this new collaboration with a very innovative partner, with whom we are united by our attributes of innovation, diversity and digitalization. We believe that entering the world of esports will bring Santander new opportunities to engage with new generations of digital natives and help them prosper.”

Maximilian Schmidt, head of League of Legends esports in EMEA, said: “It is a pleasure for us to collaborate with a global banking institution committed to innovation, digital transformation and providing the best possible services for younger generations.”

Basketball Ireland and TG4 agree deal for international basketball in 2022

Basketball Ireland and TG4 have agreed a three-game deal for FIBA EuroBasket games in 2022, which will see both the men’s and women’s senior sides shown live on the station. The first game takes place on June 30th, when the Irish senior men take on Austria in Salzburg, followed three days later by their home contest against Switzerland, on July 3rd.

Ireland remain firmly in contention in Group A, they’re third, just a point behind joint-leaders Switzerland and Austria. The group winners and the two best second-placed finishers from three groups will advance to round 2 of the Pre-Qualifiers, which begin in August, with another two-game matchday window in November.

Ireland’s senior women return to action on November 27th, at home against the Netherlands in their FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 Qualifiers, which will also be live on TG4.

Basketball Ireland CEO, John Feehan, said: “This agreement reinforces TG4’s commitment to top class Irish international and domestic basketball. They already provide excellent coverage of our InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup and showcased our return to FIBA EuroBasket last year. This announcement for our 2022 internationals is another sign of the appetite for basketball in this country.”

Rónán Ó Coisdealbha, TG4 Head of Sport, added: “TG4 is excited to be broadcasting the Irish senior international basketball teams, as they compete against Europe’s best in FIBA EuroBasket. Both the men’s and women’s teams have put in hugely impressive performances since returning to EuroBasket level, and our viewers have enjoyed watching and supporting them. TG4 is delighted to make even more of these games available to the public on free-to-air television and this agreement means that more top-class basketball will be aired for Irish audiences in 2022.”

Ireland senior men’s head coach, Mark Keenan, stated: “This is great news for our sport, the guys are hugely excited about the upcoming games against Austria and Switzerland in a few weeks’ time. It’s wonderful to see both games shown live on TG4, the station have been a great supporter of Irish basketball. We’re looking to give our fans plenty to cheer about in the next two games, as we target reaching the next stage in FIBA EuroBasket qualification.”

Ireland senior women’s head coach, James Weldon, added: “It’s fantastic news that TG4 will once again cover our home game with the Netherlands this November. It gives the wider basketball community and beyond a chance to see our players in action at the top level of European basketball.”

Austria versus Ireland on June 30th tips off at 7.20pm, with live coverage on TG4 starting at 7.05pm. Three days later Ireland host Switzerland at the National Basketball Arena, live coverage starts at 5pm, with the game tipping off at 5.15pm. TG4’s Cispheil Beo will be presented by Galway sports broadcaster Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh, who will be joined by a team of expert basketball analysts. The series is produced by Fogarty Fenwick Services.

FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers 

Thursday, June 30th

Austria v Ireland, Alpenstrasse Sports Hall, Salzburg, 1920, LIVE ON TG4 from 1905

Sunday, July 3rd

Ireland v Switzerland, National Basketball Arena, Dublin, 1715, LIVE ON TG4 from 1700

FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 Qualifier

Sunday, 27th November

Ireland v Netherlands, National Basketball Arena, time TBC LIVE ON TG4