The opening weekend of the 2026 GAA Allianz Football League is here – and six heavyweight matches will be shown live and free by BBC Sport NI and streamed for free on BBC iPlayer. The action begins at 6pm on January 24, 2026 with a Division 2 clash.
Meanwhile, Antrim are back in action on Sunday February 22 against Carlow in Division 1B before Tyrone host Offaly on Saturday February 28 in football.
Here’s how to watch Gaelic football on BBC iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN – and for free.
- Division 2 Football, Tyrone v Kildare, Saturday January 24, 6 p.m. throw-in
- Division 1 Football, Monaghan v Armagh, Sunday January 25, 2 p.m. throw-in
- Division 2 Football, Derry v Tyrone, Saturday January 31, throw-in at 6 p.m.
- Division 1B Hurling, Antrim v Clare, Sunday 1 February, 1pm throw-in
- Division 1B Hurling, Antrim v Carlow, Sunday February 22, 1 p.m. throw-in
- Division 2 Football, Tyrone v Offaly, Saturday February 28, 6 p.m. throw-in
How to watch Gaelic football on BBC iPlayer from anywhere
BBC iPlayer broadcasts many Gaelic football matches for free for viewers in the UK as the 2026 GAA season gets underway.
If you’re traveling or living abroad, you’ll need a VPN to securely change your location and access your usual UK apps, including BBC iPlayer.
There are many VPNs, but NordVPN is the one you can rely on to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch Irish GAA football from anywhere in the world.
It’s very easy to use a VPN to watch Gaelic football on BBC iPlayer.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you want to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you are visiting the United States and want to watch your free BBC iPlayer stream, you would select “UK”.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayerLog in and watch Gaelic football for free.
5 key storylines to watch out for in the 2026 GAA season
Can Kerry continue to dominate?
Kerry start the season as reigning Allianz League and All-Ireland champions, and everyone will be watching to see if they can defend their titles or if the challengers close the gap early.
Ulster rivalries reignited
Matches like Monaghan v Armagh And Donegal v Dublin highlight old feuds and new managerial eras as counties look to establish Division 1 supremacy in the first round.
Division 2 promotion battles
Tyrone and Derry are aiming to return to the top flight, while Meath and Cork are looking to complete their stay in Division 2 – making every point crucial in a notoriously tight division.
New leadership and new faces
Moves like John Maher, Galway’s new captain and Dublin’s roster shake-up signals the team’s evolution, adding intrigue to those who will step up in the big league days.
Stories of reconstruction and survival
Teams in the lower divisions – from Clare and Westmeath to Antrim and Wicklow – face big tests early on as they eye promotion or look to avoid dropouts, adding unpredictable drama across the levels.
What devices is BBC iPlayer available on?
You can use BBC iPlayer on all of the following devices and platforms:
Amazon fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, TV)
Android Television (note: some models are not supported)
Android (Mobile and tablet) – Android 7.0 and above
Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
Google TV
Freely
Free satellite (note: some models are not supported)
Free reading (TVs and decoders)
iOS (iPhone and iPad) – iOS 14 and above
LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)
NOW Smart Sticks and Boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
PlayStation (PS4 and PS5)
Roku (Stick and Roku-OS powered TVs, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and above – 2016 models only offer On-Demand TV)
Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream
Blank media (360, Stream, TiVo)
YouSee (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
Xbox (A, X series, S series)
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