TV3 nets England football rights

Irish commercial broadcaster TV3 has acquired rights for England’s national team football qualifiers ahead of the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia.

The exclusive live rights were secured through a sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Sky.

TV3 will show six live England matches, beginning with Sunday’s qualifier at home to Lithuania and a trip to Scotland on June 10.

Coverage will be available on television and through the digital 3player service.

TV3, which showed coverage of England’s 1-0 loss at Germany on Wednesday, also has rights to football's Uefa Champions League quarter- and semi-finals, the Europa League final and the English FA Cup domestic knockout tournament.