NEWS

Ballymena United Girls Academy is giving aspiring young footballers across the area the opportunity to take their game to the next level with the launch of a free four-week open training programme this summer. The academy is inviting girls born in 2010 and 2011 to take part in a series of Under-16 open training sessions beginning this week at Ballymena Showgrounds. Designed for players who are serious about developing their abilities and progressing within the game, the initi

Football, family entertainment and the chance to meet Ballymena United’s newest signings will all be on offer when the club hosts a free community fun day at the Ballymena Showgrounds next month. With free admission for everyone, the event on Saturday 4 July is designed to bring supporters, families and local residents together for an afternoon packed with activities both on and off the pitch as excitement builds ahead of the new season. Visitors can look forward to face pain

Some of the members of Carrick Pool League Pool clubs across Carrickfergus are being recognised as more than just places to compete and socialise, with a local league using the game’s strong community spirit to encourage men to open up about their mental health and seek support when they need it. Recently, during Men’s Health Week, the Carrick and District Pool League (CDPL) joined forces with the Public Health Agency (PHA) to promote the message that talking about mental hea

Green flag for Armoy Road Races 2026. Pictured at Dunluce Castle are, from left, Gareth McAuley, AMRRC Chairman, Bill Kennedy MBE, AMRRC Director, William Munnis, Clerk of Course (seated), alongside road racer, Marcus Simpson and Trevor Kane, title sponsor and owner of Bayview Hotel. The countdown is officially underway for the 2026 Armoy Road Races, with organisers expecting thousands of spectators from across the world to descend on the County Antrim village next month for

Manchester United fans will get an unprecedented look behind the scenes at one of the world’s biggest football clubs after Prime Video confirmed it will follow the Red Devils throughout the 2026/27 season for the latest instalment of its hugely successful All or Nothing documentary series. The access-all-areas production will begin filming this summer and will track Manchester United as they prepare for a return to the UEFA Champions League while attempting to build on what t

Pictured (L-R) is Kinecx Energy’s Chair of Corporate Social Responsibilities Committee Lisa McCarthy, Kinecx Energy CEO Niall Martindale, and Sorcha Mathews, Autism NI’s Corporate Fundraising Manager. A football tournament bringing together some of Northern Ireland’s biggest utilities and infrastructure organisations has raised £5,300 for Autism NI while shining a spotlight on the power of community fundraising in Ballymena. Hosted by Kinecx Energy at Ballymena Showgrounds, t

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins with Coleraine FC Captain Lyndon Kane and Coleraine Football Club’s Chief Executive Officer, Dale Pryde-MacDonald, Johnny Fielding, Chairman of Coleraine Connect, Alderman Mark Fielding and Councillor Tanya Elder. Coleraine FC’s Irish Cup-winning season will be celebrated with a major family-friendly event in the heart of the town next month, giving supporters the chance to honour the players, staff and community th

One of Ballymena’s most important sporting venues is set for a major transformation after plans for a new high-performance 3G hybrid pitch at Ballymena Showgrounds were approved on Thursday. The project will replace the existing natural grass surface in the main arena with a modern all-weather system designed to significantly increase year-round usage, reduce weather-related disruption and create greater opportunities for clubs, schools and community groups across the borough

Kilrea-born football manager Martin O’Neill Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is to consider conferring the Freedom of the Borough on Kilrea-born football manager Martin O’Neill. During June’s council meeting, members were presented with a motion by Sinn Féin Councillor Sean Bateson seeking to award the Freedom of the Borough to Mr O’Neill in recognition of his distinguished football career and contribution to the sport. A ceremonial plaque in Kilrea has also been prop

(L-R) George Best and Pelé. ©Getty Images American showmanship, global superstars and packed stadiums helped reshape modern football decades before the Premier League boom — and a new BBC Northern Ireland series is set to revisit the extraordinary rise, collapse and rebirth of soccer in the United States. Pitch Invasion: How The USA Changed Soccer tells the story of how America helped transform the global game, from the glitzy rise of the North American Soccer League (NASL) i

Ballymena United supporters are being promised cheaper football, exclusive rewards and a smoother matchday experience after the club officially launched season tickets for the 2026/27 campaign with prices frozen across every category. In a move likely to be welcomed by fans facing continued cost-of-living pressures, the club confirmed there will be no increase in season ticket prices ahead of the new NIFL Premiership season, while introducing a new ticketing platform and a pa

Well done girls: L-R: Jenna McErlain, Dayah Doherty. Willow Currie, Isabel McErlean, Rebekah Rice, Cassie Evans, Maisie Hamill, and Anna Rose Caskey. Eight young gymnasts from Toome are preparing to take centre stage on the national level after qualifying to represent Northern Ireland at the National Finals in London later this year. The athletes from Elite Gymnastics Academy secured their places following a series of strong performances throughout the British Gymnastics-back

Patrick Grasso, former Belfast Giants forward and 3ICE USA roster member. Belfast is set to welcome a major international ice hockey spectacle next month after the full player rosters for the inaugural 3ICE World Cup were officially confirmed. The two-day tournament, arriving at the home of the Belfast Giants on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July 2026, will bring together former NHL players, Elite League stars, international prospects, and Stanley Cup-winning coaches in what organi

Ballymena United supporters will begin the new season with a completely new way to buy tickets after the club announced a fresh three-year partnership with ticketing platform TicketCo ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. The deal will see the Championship side introduce a new integrated ticketing system designed to simplify how fans purchase season tickets and matchday admission, with the platform going live immediately as season ticket sales open this week. The move marks one of t

Northern Ireland is preparing for one of its biggest weeks of youth sport of the year after the full fixture list for the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI was officially unveiled — bringing Manchester United, Liverpool, Rangers, Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland back to pitches across the north this summer. More than 1,200 young players from across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East will descend on the Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, an

Neil Coleman (left) pictured with Ballymena United FC Chairman Chris Selwood Ballymena United FC has announced the appointment of experienced football communications specialist Neil Coleman as the club’s new Director of Communications and Marketing ahead of the 2026/2027 season. The appointment sees Coleman join the Sky Blues’ senior management structure with responsibility for overseeing the club’s communications strategy, media relations, digital platforms and wider brand d

Children at Ski Ability NI – a Craigavon-based charity that provides ski instruction on a dry ski slope for children with additional needs. The charity benefitted from Fibrus funding in 2025. Northern Ireland broadband provider Fibrus has launched a new £50,000 funding programme aimed at helping grassroots sports clubs across Northern Ireland secure vital equipment, improve facilities and expand opportunities for young people. Now entering its fourth year, the Fibrus Play it

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Bryan O’Donnell, President, Cricket Ireland and Sarah Keane, Chief Executive Officer, Cricket Ireland at day one of the Ireland v New Zealand test match at Stormont. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has said the future of cricket in Northern Ireland is “bright” as Belfast hosted a major international test match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stormont. The match marks only the second ever men’s test hosted at the famous east

Ballymena boxer Ella McDonald A Ballymena woman who only started boxing in her mid-twenties is preparing to make her professional debut next month after an extraordinary rise through the amateur ranks that has already seen her claim major titles, win international medals and train alongside some of the best fighters in Ireland. At just 28 years old, Ella McDonald will step into the professional game for the first time at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on June 26 — a moment she onc

Winning: Boxing talent Kain Stewart from Ballymena A brother and sister from Ballymena have returned from the WKO European Championships with multiple European titles after producing a series of dominant performances against some of the continent’s top young fighters. Lacey Stewart and her younger brother Kain Stewart — already rapidly rising names in local combat sports — travelled to Barnsley representing Cuchulainn Combat Sports under Ballymena MMA figure Alan “Super Ali”