Three sporting events to watch this week: Your handy guide to sport on television

Guide to sport on television (Monday–Sunday, March 17th–23rd)

Soccer

The Republic of Ireland men’s international side will begin the qualifying campaign for the next World Cup in September. Before that, however, is the not insignificant task of trying to stay in League B of the Nations League. This week, the Irish side will play Bulgaria twice - in Plovdiv and Dublin. The loser will drop to League C, where they can look forward to playing sides such as the Faroe Islands and San Marino next year. - Thursday & Sunday, RTE

Athletics

Hot on the heels of the European Indoor Championships, the 20th World Indoors take place this week in China. Nanjing was originally due to host the event in 2020, then in 2021, and then again in 2023, but all three dates were postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic regulations in China. The three Irish medal winners from Apeldoorn - Sarah Healy, Mark English and Kate O’Connor – will be competing at Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park. - BBC, Friday-Sunday

Rugby

If you are not already tired of watching French rugby players, there is a huge clash at the weekend in the Top 14. On Sunday evening, top-placed and reigning champions Toulouse travel to second-placed Bordeaux Bègles, a side that includes among their ranks one Joey Carbery. Along with Leinster, these are surely the top three club sides in Europe at the moment. - Sunday, Premier Sports

MONDAY (Mar 17th)

  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - 1am Thunder @ Bucks
  • GAA - TG4 - All-Ireland PP Schools Senior A Finals – Football - 1pm St Colman’s, Claremorris v St Pat’s, Maghera, Hurling - 3pm PC Athenry v Thurles CBS
  • RUGBY - Premier Sports 1 - Leinster Schools Senior Cup Final - 1.30pm Terenure College v Blackrock College
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • GAA - TG4, 8pm-9pm Weekend highlights
  • RUGBY - RTE 2, 8pm-9pm Against the Head
  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - 11.30pm Heat @ Knicks

TUESDAY (Mar 18th)

  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - 2am Nuggets @ Warriors
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 12.45pm-5pm, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • SOCCER - TNT Sports 1 & DAZN - Women’s Champions League - 5.45pm Real Madrid v Arsenal, 8pm Bayern Munich v Lyon
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports+, League 1 - 7.45pm Rotherham Utd v Wycombe

WEDNESDAY (Mar 19th)

  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - 2.30am Cavaliers @ Clippers
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 12.45pm-5pm, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • SOCCER - TNT Sports 2 & DAZN - Women’s Champions League - 5.45pm Wolfsburg v Barcelona
  • SOCCER - TNT Sports 1 & DAZN - Women’s Champions League - 8pm Man City v Chelsea

THURSDAY (Mar 20th)

  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - 2am Nuggets @ Lakers
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 5am-10am Singapore Classic
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am-10pm Valspar Championship
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 12.45pm-5pm, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • DARTS - Sky Sports Action, 7pm-11pm - Cardiff Premier League
  • SOCCER - RTE 2 - Men’s Nations League - 7.45pm Bulgaria v Rep of Ireland
  • SOCCER - Virgin Media Two - Men’s Nations League - 7.45pm Italy v Germany
  • SOCCER - BBC 1 Scotland - Men’s Nations League - 7.45pm Greece v Scotland
  • RUGBY LEAGUE - Sky Sports+, Super League - 8pm Salford RD v Huddersfield

FRIDAY (Mar 21st)

  • SOCCER - Premier Sports 1 - Men’s World Cup Qualifier - 0.45am Brazil v Colombia
  • NBA - TNT Sports 3 - 2.30am Bucks @ Lakers
  • F1 - Sky Sports F1 from 3am - Practice Chinese Grand Prix
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 5am-10am Singapore Classic
  • ATHLETICS - BBC 2, 10.15am-1.45pm - Nanjing World Indoors
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am-10pm Valspar Championship
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 12.45pm-5pm, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • RUGBY - RTE 2 & Premier Sports 1 – URC - 7.35pm Glasgow v Munster
  • RUGBY - Premier Sports 2 – URC - 7.35pm Cardiff v Lions
  • SOCCER - BBC 2 - Men’s Friendly - 7.45pm Northern Ireland v Switzerland
  • SOCCER - UTV & Virgin Media Two - Men’s World Cup Qualifier - 7.45pm England v Albania
  • RUGBY - TNT Sports 1 - Premiership - 7.45pm Northampton v Leicester
  • RUGBY LEAGUE - Sky Sports Action - Super League - 8pm St Helens v Warrington

SATURDAY (Mar 22nd)

  • NBA - TNT Sports 1 - Midnight Rockets @ Heat, 2.30am Grizzlies @ Clippers
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Mix, midnight-5am Women’s NSW Open
  • ATHLETICS - BBC Red Button, 2am-4.40pm, BBC 2, 10.30am-12.45pm - Nanjing World Indoors
  • F1 - Sky Sports F1 from 2.25am - Sprint & Qualifying Chinese Grand Prix
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 4am-7am Singapore Classic
  • CYCLING - TNT Sports 2 from 8.30am Milan-San Remo
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 11.45am-10pm Valspar Championship
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports Football - League 2 - 12.30pm Notts Co v Crewe Alexandra
  • RUGBY - Premier Sports 2 - URC - 12.45pm Sharks v Zebre, 3pm Benetton v Edinburgh, 5.15pm Dragons v Ulster
  • RACING - UTV, 1pm-4pm Kelso, Newbury & Bangor
  • RUGBY - BBC 2 - Women’s Six Nations - 1pm Ireland v France, 4.45pm Scotland v Wales
  • GAA - TG4 - 3pm Women’s Football League (TBA)
  • RUGBY - S4C – URC - 3pm Scarlets v Stormers
  • RUGBY - RTE 2 & Premier Sports 1 – URC - 3pm Bulls v Leinster, 5.15pm Ospreys v Connacht
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports Football - Women’s Sky Sports Cup Final - 3pm Hibernian v Rangers
  • RUGBY LEAGUE - Sky Sports+, Super League - 3pm Castleford v Catalans Dragons
  • RUGBY - ITV & TNT Sports 1 – Premiership - 3.05pm Saracens v Harlequins
  • GAA - TG4 - 5pm Hurling League (TBA)
  • RUGBY LEAGUE - Sky Sports Action - Super League - 5.30pm Leeds v Wigan
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports Premier League & Showcase - Women’s Super League - 5.30pm Arsenal v Liverpool
  • RUGBY - TNT Sports 1 – Premiership - 5.30pm Bristol v Exeter
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 6.45pm-10.15pm Players Championship
  • GAA - RTE 2 - 7.30pm Hurling League (TBA)
  • TRIATHLON - TNT Sports 4, 7.30pm-9pm - Lievin T1 World Cup
  • SOCCER - TG4 - Women’s Premier League - 7.35pm Sligo Rovers v Waterford FC
  • SOCCER - Virgin Media Two & BBC Three - World Cup Qualifier - 7.45pm Wales v Kazakhstan
  • UFC - TNT Sports 2 from 8pm - London Leon Edwards v Sean Brady
  • RUGBY - Premier Sports 2 - Top 14 - 8.05pm Toulon v Perpignan
  • NBA - TNT Sports 3 - 9pm Nets @ Pacers
  • SOCCER - BBC 1, 10.30pm-23.40pm Match of the Day

SUNDAY (Mar 23rd)

  • GOLF - Sky Sports Mix, midnight-5am Women’s NSW Open
  • GOLF Sky Sports Golf, 4am-7am Singapore Classic
  • F1 - Sky Sports F1 from 5.30am Chinese Grand Prix
  • SOCCER - DAZN & TNT Sports 1 - Women’s Liga F - 11am Barcelona v Real Madrid
  • ATHLETICS - BBC 2, 11am-1.45pm - Nanjing World Indoors
  • GOLF - Sky Sports Golf, 11.45am-10pm Valspar Championship
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports Football & Showcase - Women’s Super League - Noon West Ham v Tottenham
  • GAA - TG4 from 1.45pm Football League (TBA)
  • SNOOKER - ITV4, 12.45pm-4pm, 6.45pm-10pm Players Championship
  • SOCCER - BBC 1 - Women’s Super League - 2.30pm Man City v Chelsea
  • RUGBY - BBC 2 - Women’s Six Nations - 3pm England v Italy
  • RUGBY TNT Sports 1 – Premiership - 3pm Bath v Gloucester
  • RUGBY LEAGUE - Sky Sports+, Super League - 3pm Hull KR v Leigh Leopards
  • SOCCER - Sky Sports Football & Showcase - Women’s Super League - 4.30pm Aston Villa v Man Utd
  • SOCCER - BBC 2 - Nations League - 5pm Scotland v Greece
  • NBA - TNT Sports 4 - 7.30pm Cavaliers @ Jazz
  • SOCCER - RTE 2 - Nations League - 7.45pm Rep of Ireland v Bulgaria
  • RUGBY - Premier Sports 2 - Top 14 - 8.05pm Bordeaux Bègles v Toulouse
  • GAA - RTE 2, 10.20pm-0.20am League Sunday
Damian Cullen

Damian Cullen

Damian Cullen is Health & Family Editor of The Irish Times