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Northern Ireland Draws Potential Nations League Matches Against Republic of Ireland and Scotland

Ahead of the Uefa Nations League draw set to take place in Brussels on Thursday, potential opponents for Northern Ireland are being considered, with the Republic of Ireland and Scotland among the possibilities.

A potential group stage matchup for Northern Ireland could include the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Switzerland, among other teams.

As Northern Ireland prepares for its World Cup play-off against Italy, the team and its fans are also looking ahead to the Uefa Nations League draw, which will determine their opponents for the rest of the year.

Following their promotion from League C in 2024, Northern Ireland will compete in League B of the Nations League's fifth edition.

The latest installment of the competition is scheduled to begin in September and October of this year, during the newly expanded four-game international window, and will run until June 2027.

In anticipation of the draw, BBC Sport NI is examining the potential opponents that Northern Ireland could face.

The Nations League format and draw schedule are as follows: the competition will feature a draw, and the details of this process are outlined below.

The draw will take place at 17:00 GMT on Thursday at the Brussels Expo in Belgium.

Live text updates and reaction to the draw will be available on the BBC Sport website.

Northern Ireland has been placed in pot four for the draw, alongside Sweden, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, all of which won promotion from League C.

The teams in pot four will be matched against a team from one of the other three pots.

Pot 1 consists of Scotland, Hungary, Poland, and Israel.

Pot 2 includes Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Austria, and Ukraine.

Pot 3 is comprised of Slovenia, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, and Romania.

In a 2024 friendly match, Conor Bradley scored the winning goal against Scotland.

Northern Ireland may be paired with Scotland, who will participate in their first World Cup since 1990 this summer, in the upcoming Nations League.

The two teams last met in a friendly match in March 2024, with Northern Ireland emerging victorious 1-0 thanks to Conor Bradley's first international goal.

Alternatively, Northern Ireland could face Hungary, who narrowly missed out on the World Cup play-offs after a last-minute goal by Republic of Ireland's Troy Parrott in November.

The two teams have a history, having been paired together in the Euro 2016 qualification campaign, with Northern Ireland winning 2-1 away and drawing 1-1 at home.

Poland and Israel are the remaining potential opponents in Pot 1, and it has been some time since Northern Ireland last played either team.

Northern Ireland's previous meetings with these teams include a 1-0 loss to Poland in their Euro 2016 group stage opener and a 3-0 win over Israel in a friendly match in September 2018.

Isaac Price scored a notable free-kick in a draw against Switzerland in a friendly match last year.

From Pot 2, Northern Ireland could be matched against Switzerland, a team that denied them a spot in the 2018 World Cup and will participate in the upcoming World Cup.

In a friendly match against Switzerland at Windsor Park in March of last year, Isaac Price scored a stunning free-kick in a 1-1 draw.

Another potential opponent for Northern Ireland is Bosnia-Herzegovina, a team they could also face in the World Cup play-off final if they defeat Italy and Bosnia-Herzegovina beats Wales.

Additionally, Northern Ireland could be drawn against either Austria or Ukraine, both of which are bound for the World Cup.

Northern Ireland has lost its last five matches against Austria, while its most recent meeting with Ukraine was a 2-0 win in the Euro 2016 group stage.

The last meeting between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland ended in a 0-0 draw in Dublin in 2018.

From Pot 3, Northern Ireland could be paired with Slovenia, a team that won both home and away matches against them in Euro 2024 qualifying.

They could also face Georgia, a team they have only met once before in a competitive match, in a friendly in March 2008 that Northern Ireland won 4-1.

A potential intriguing matchup for Northern Ireland would be a group stage draw with Republic of Ireland, who will also participate in the World Cup play-offs next month.

Since the turn of the century, the two teams have met only twice.

The Republic of Ireland won 5-0 in the Nations Cup in 2011, and the teams played to a goalless draw in a 2018 friendly, both of which took place in Dublin.

Northern Ireland has not hosted the Republic of Ireland in Belfast since 1994.

Rounding out the potential opponents in Pot 3 is Romania, a team that hopes to participate in the World Cup this summer and will face Turkey in a play-off semi-final next month.

Northern Ireland has won only three of its nine meetings with Romania, with the last four matches ending in draws.

Portugal won the Nations League title in 2025 by defeating Spain in the final in Munich.

The Nations League features four groups of four teams in Leagues A, B, and C, and two groups of three teams in League D.

The winners and runners-up of the League A groups will advance to the quarter-final stage, a two-legged tournament in March 2027, followed by semi-finals and finals in June 2027.

Additionally, there will be play-offs for promotion and relegation from Leagues A-C in March 2027.

The best-performing teams in the Nations League that do not qualify for the 2028 European Championships through the qualification campaign will participate in play-offs to earn the final qualifying spots for the tournament.

Northern Ireland's first-place finish in Group C3 for 2024 has provided an alternative path to the World Cup playoffs, and a strong performance in League B could potentially yield a similar opportunity for Euro 2028 qualification, should Michael O'Neill's team fail to secure automatic qualification.

The Nations League schedule is as follows:

The first set of matches will take place from September 24-26.

The second set of matches is scheduled for September 27-29.

Matchday 3 will occur between September 30 and October 3.

The fourth set of matches will be played from October 4-6.

The fifth matchday is set to take place from November 12-14.

The sixth and final matchday will be held from November 15-17.

The quarter-finals for League A are slated to occur between March 25-30, 2027.

The play-offs for Leagues A/B and B/C will also take place from March 25-30, 2027.

The final tournament is scheduled to run from June 9-13, 2027.

The play-offs for Leagues C/D are set to be held from March 23-28, 2028.

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UAE Defeats Canada to Enhance Super 8s Qualification Chances

The United Arab Emirates boosted their slim chances of advancing to the T20 World Cup Super 8s, securing a narrow five-wicket victory over Canada, thanks in part to Aryansh Sharma’s unbeaten 74.

In a crucial match for the United Arab Emirates, Aryansh Sharma achieved his fifth T20 international half-century, contributing to the team's victory over Canada.

The Men's T20 World Cup, being held in Group D in Delhi, saw an intense competition between the two teams.

Canada's innings resulted in a total of 150-7 after 20 overs, with Harsh Thaker scoring 50 runs off 41 balls, while Junaid Siddique took 5 wickets for 35 runs.

The UAE team responded with a total of 154 runs in 19.4 overs, led by Aryansh Sharma's unbeaten 74 runs off 53 balls and Sohaib Khan's 51 runs off 29 balls, despite Bin Zafar taking 3 wickets for 14 runs.

The United Arab Emirates secured a five-wicket win over Canada, boosting their chances in the tournament.

Aryansh Sharma played a pivotal role in the UAE's win, scoring an unbeaten 74 runs to help his team overcome Canada's total.

With four overs remaining, Canada seemed poised to defend their total, but Sohaib Khan's aggressive batting reignited the UAE's chase, as he scored 17 runs off Dillon Heyliger's bowling.

In the final over, the UAE required eight runs to win, and Aryansh Sharma eased the pressure by hitting a six off Jaskaran Singh's first ball.

Sohaib Khan was dismissed after scoring a rapid 51 runs off 29 balls, including four sixes, leaving the scores level.

Muhammad Arfan then sealed the victory with two balls to spare, hitting a four off Jaskaran Singh, as Aryansh Sharma top-scored with 74 runs off 53 balls.

The UAE now stands third in Group D with two points, but they face an uphill task in their upcoming matches against full members South Africa and Afghanistan to advance to the next phase.

Although the UAE has never beaten a full member in any World Cup format, their performance in this match has given them some confidence.

Earlier in the match, Junaid Siddique achieved the best bowling figures by a UAE player in a T20 World Cup, taking 5 wickets for 35 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Harsh Thaker's 41-ball half-century, which included three sixes and two fours, provided a solid foundation for Canada's total.

Thaker and Navneet Dhaliwal shared a 58-run partnership to help Canada recover from a difficult start, before Dhaliwal was run out for 34 runs.

After Thaker fell victim to Junaid Siddique's slower ball, Canada struggled to find boundaries against the UAE's tight bowling.

Shreyas Movva made a useful contribution of 21 runs off 21 balls, but Junaid Siddique took two wickets in the final over to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 internationals.

In a separate match, Zimbabwe's Brilliant Muzarabani played a key role in his team's stunning win over Australia.

For more updates, notifications, and social media coverage, visit the BBC Sport website.

In another development, Paul Stirling has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20 World Cup due to injury.

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GB’s Bankes knocked out in snowboard cross quarterfinals

Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain was knocked out in the quarter-final stage of the women’s snowboard cross event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain has been knocked out of the women's snowboard cross event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, failing to advance beyond the quarter-final stage.

For more Winter Olympics coverage, videos are available to stream.

Access to Winter Olympics video content is restricted to users in the United Kingdom.

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Family of Murder Victim Expresses Frustration Over Delayed Trial Scheduling

A 21-year-old woman, Chloe Mitchell, lost her life in June 2023, and a man is set to stand trial, facing a murder charge.

The family of Chloe Mitchell, a 21-year-old woman from Ballymena, is facing further uncertainty as they await the outcome of a trial for her alleged murderer, which may be impacted by an ongoing barristers' strike.

A close-up photo of Chloe Mitchell - a young woman with long, straight, fair hair -  smiling at the camera. She is wearing black-framed sunglasses with blue lenses on her head, which are partially visible.
Chloe Mitchell's remains were found eight days after she went missing in 2023

Chloe Mitchell's life was cut short in June 2023, when she was killed in an incident that has left her family and community in shock.

Brandon John Rainey, the man accused of her murder, is scheduled to stand trial on February 23, but the proceedings may be delayed due to the industrial action by defence barristers.

Following a recent court hearing to review trial arrangements, Nadine Mitchell, Chloe's sister, expressed her family's distress and frustration, telling BBC News NI that they are struggling to cope with the uncertainty.

Nadine Mitchell stated that her family has been left with no choice but to wait once again for a resolution, having already endured a prolonged period of anxiety and uncertainty.

The family's emotional turmoil is evident, with Nadine describing the experience as a prolonged period of distress, marked by sleepless nights and unbearable tension.

The Mitchell family is struggling to come to terms with their situation, which has left them feeling overwhelmed and distraught.

The current strike by defence barristers in Northern Ireland, which began last month, is a result of a long-standing dispute over legal aid fees, with barristers arguing that their fees have not kept pace with inflation.

The strike has brought almost all criminal trials in Northern Ireland to a standstill, with the exception of cases where the defendant does not require legal aid.

The Mitchell family has appealed for their case to be treated as an exception, allowing the trial to proceed as scheduled.

Chloe Mitchell, who was 21 at the time of her disappearance, was reported missing in early June 2023, prompting an extensive search operation.

Her remains were discovered about a week later, following a series of searches in the Ballymena area.

Brandon John Rainey was subsequently arrested and charged with Chloe's murder, which is alleged to have taken place between June 2 and June 5, 2023.

Rainey also faces a charge of attempting to prevent the lawful burial of a deceased body.

The dispute between barristers and the Department of Justice centres on the level of legal aid fees, which barristers claim have not increased since 2005.

A close-up of Brandon Rainey, a man with short, fair hair and stubble, looking at the camera.  He is sitting in a vehicle on a dark, wet night.
Brandon Rainey is accused of the murder of Chloe Mitchell

Barristers argue that the fees have not kept pace with inflation, resulting in a significant decrease in their real-terms value over the past 20 years.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has warned that the low fees have created a crisis in the justice system, with many younger barristers refusing to take on legal aid cases due to the low rates of pay.

The CBA has described the strike as a "last resort" in their dispute with the Department of Justice, which has been ongoing for some time.

Despite an announced 16% increase in fees, which is set to take effect in mid-January, the strike has continued, with barristers arguing that the increase does not go far enough to address their concerns.

Chloe's father, George Mitchell, has previously appealed for an exception to be made in their case, allowing the trial to proceed despite the strike.

George Mitchell has argued that any delay to the trial would cause further trauma and distress for the families of victims.

He had invited Justice Minister Naomi Long to meet with him and his wife, Georgina, to discuss the matter further.

However, Minister Long has stated that it is not feasible to allow individual cases to proceed while the dispute over legal aid fees remains unresolved, citing ethical and practical concerns.

The minister has reiterated that the decision to grant exceptions lies with the CBA, which must weigh the competing demands of their members and the needs of the justice system.

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