Live Sport This Weekend: FIFA World Cup, GAA Championship, Rugby Play-Offs and Formula 1 Headline Packed Schedule

Sports fans have a packed weekend ahead with the FIFA World Cup, All-Ireland Football Championship, Ladies Football Championship, Premiership Rugby semi-finals, Top 14 play-offs and Formula 1 all live on television.

The action begins on Thursday evening with Mexico taking on South Africa in the FIFA World Cup before building towards a huge weekend featuring Tyrone v Mayo, Kildare v Kerry, Brazil v Morocco, Northampton v Leicester, Bath v Exeter and the Spanish Grand Prix.

FIFA World Cup (RTÉ2)

• Thursday 11 June – Mexico v South Africa (20:00)
• Friday 12 June – South Korea v Czechia (03:00)
• Friday 12 June – Canada v Bosnia (20:00)
• Saturday 13 June – USA v Paraguay (02:00)
• Saturday 13 June – Qatar v Switzerland (20:00)
• Saturday 13 June – Brazil v Morocco (23:00)
• Sunday 14 June – Haiti v Scotland (02:00)
• Sunday 14 June – Australia v Türkiye (05:00)
• Sunday 14 June – Germany v Curaçao (18:00)
• Sunday 14 June – Netherlands v Japan (21:00)
• Monday 15 June – Ivory Coast v Ecuador (00:00)
• Monday 15 June – Sweden v Tunisia (03:00)
• Monday 15 June – Spain v Cape Verde (17:00)
• Monday 15 June – Belgium v Egypt (20:00)
• Monday 15 June – Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (23:00)

GAA Live This Weekend

Saturday 13 June

• Kildare v Kerry (Ladies Football) – 2:50pm – TG4
• Monaghan v Roscommon – 4:30pm – GAA+
• Galway v Limerick (All-Ireland Minor Hurling Semi-Final) – 4:40pm – TG4
• Derry v Meath – 7:00pm – GAA+
• Waterford v Cork (Ladies Football) – 7:15pm – TG4

Sunday 14 June

• Louth v Armagh – 1:00pm – RTÉ2
• Galway v Westmeath – 2:00pm – GAA+
• Cavan v Dublin – 2:00pm
• Tyrone v Mayo – 3:30pm – RTÉ2

Rugby Play-Offs

Premiership Rugby Semi-Finals

• Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers – Friday 12 June, 7:45pm – TNT Sports
• Bath v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday 13 June, 3:00pm – TNT Sports

Top 14 Play-Offs

• Pau v Racing 92 – Saturday 13 June, 8:05pm – Premier Sports
• Provence Rugby v Perpignan – Sunday 14 June, 5:00pm – Premier Sports
• Stade Français v La Rochelle – Sunday 14 June, 8:05pm – Premier Sports

Formula 1

• Spanish Grand Prix – Sunday 14 June, 2:00pm
• Venue: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
• Live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event

Featured Events

• Brazil v Morocco
• Germany v Curaçao
• Netherlands v Japan
• Tyrone v Mayo
• Kildare v Kerry
• Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers
• Bath v Exeter Chiefs
• Spanish Grand Prix

Whether you’re following the FIFA World Cup, the race for Sam Maguire, elite rugby play-offs or Formula 1, there is wall-to-wall live sport available throughout the weekend.

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A son of Coolmore stallion Camelot, Christmas Day (7/1) was a two-and-three-quarter length winner over the Tom Marquand-ridden Maltese Cross (12/1).

James J Braddock, the mount of Dylan Browne McMonagle, took third for trainer Joseph O’Brien, two-and-a-half lengths behind the William Haggas-handled runner-up.

The victory of Christmas Day, in the Coolmore colours, was a 12th win in the race for Aidan O’Brien, who becomes the first trainer to win the race four years in-a-row following the successes of Lambourn (2025), City Of Troy (2024) and Auguste Rodin (2023).

It is also a 50th British classic win for the County Wexford-born handler – his first coming with King Of Kings in the 1998 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

"The stars aligned."

Ronan Whelan's Christmases have come early ,… pic.twitter.com/DgfFrwDhb3

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 6, 2026

The pre-race favourite Benvenuto Cellini, the mount of Ryan Moore, was declared a non-runner after a stewards’ inquiry post-race. The son of Frankel had one leg caught on a bar in the stalls as the race began. As a result, stewards deemed that he was denied a chance of winning and declared him a non-runner.

"Things don't happen perfectly for every horse in the race."

Aidan O'Brien, now with 12 Derby wins beneath the bonnet after Christmas Day revelled in the Epsom rain, dissects a dramatic renewal of the premier Classic pic.twitter.com/aJLhUDp2fM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 6, 2026

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It was a second British classic training success for the successful handler, Joseph O’Brien, who previously won the Betfred St Leger with Galileo Gold.

The second English classic of the season saw nine fillies go to post – four of them trained by an O’Brien, one by Joseph, and three by his father Aidan.

Wow. Wow. Wow!

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧 brilliantly wins the Betfred Oaks at Epsom pic.twitter.com/3ev8KpXbjH

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 5, 2026

Amelia Earhart (7/4f), the choice of Ballydoyle stable jockey Ryan Moore was the race favourite, with the Colin Keane-ridden Legacy Link (3/1) the second choice of the bookies.

Sugar Island (25/1) and Ronan Whelan set the early pace, closely followed by stable companion Cameo (7/1), the mount of last season’s Epsom Derby-winning rider Wayne Lordan.

The eventual winner, Thundering On, was towards the rear of the field for much of the one mile four furlong race.

Once into the home straight, the chestnut daughter of Frankel, out of Thundering Nights, struck for home alone the stands’ side rail.

”It was effortless.” @DylanBrowneMcM reflects upon Thundering On’s extraordinary victory in the @Betfred Oaks @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/1u4pB6lb2t

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 5, 2026

Colin Keane, wearing the Juddmonte Farms colours aboard Legacy Link, looked the biggest danger to the Salsabil Stakes winner.

Despite the strong challenge of the Dubawi filly, Legacy Link, Thundering On held on comfortably for a three-and-three-quarter length victory to give Donegal rider McMonagle a first British classic success.

The John and Thady Gosden-conditioned Legacy Link took the runner-up position ahead of the outsider of the Ballydoyle trio, Sugar Island (25/1).

Race favourite Amelia Earhart and Ryan Moore finished sixth.

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For a small number of trainers, it has been a career-long accumulation of winners at the sport’s most celebrated summer meeting. Tracking the race-by-race market movers across the week gives some sense of just how much the big yards dominate the ante-post and day-of markets. The records set across the Berkshire turf tell their own story about what it takes to keep producing at the highest level, year after year.

Here are the trainers who have won more races at Royal Ascot than anyone else.

Aidan O’Brien

No trainer in the history of Royal Ascot comes close to Aidan O’Brien. With a record haul of 96 Royal Ascot winners, the Ballydoyle maestro has won 12 of the meeting’s 35 races at least once. His first came in 1997, when Harbour Master took the Coventry Stakes. He has been sending winners back to Berkshire ever since.

O’Brien has been crowned leading trainer at Royal Ascot in eight of the last 10 years, regularly sending 20 to 30 runners to the meeting and averaging four to five winners per year across that period. His dominance in certain races is extraordinary. He has won the Coventry Stakes 11 times and the Ascot Gold Cup nine times.

At the 2025 edition, O’Brien saddled five winners at the meeting, leaving him clear of every trainer, past or present, in the all-time standings.

Sir Michael Stoute

Sir Michael Stoute accumulated 82 Royal Ascot winners during his training career, making him the most successful British trainer in the meeting’s history. He held the outright record until O’Brien overtook him in 2023.

Stoute passed the previous record of 75 winners, set by the late Sir Henry Cecil, in 2018, when Poet’s Word won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. His final Royal Ascot winner came in 2021, when Dream of Dreams took the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Across his career at the meeting, Stoute was particularly strong in the Group 1 races, a record no other British trainer has got near.

Sir Henry Cecil

Sir Henry Cecil racked up 75 Royal Ascot winners before his death in 2013. He was British champion flat trainer ten times, a figure surpassed only by Alec Taylor Jr and equalled by Stoute in 2009.

Cecil is remembered as much for how he won at Ascot as for how many times he did. Frankel won twice at the Royal meeting under his care, and the horse’s 2012 Queen Anne Stakes is widely regarded as one of the greatest performances ever seen at Royal Ascot. His record stood as the benchmark for over three decades.

John and Thady Gosden

The Gosden yard passed 70 Royal Ascot winners in 2025, with John Gosden confirming his 70th victory at the meeting across the week. The 2025 Royal Ascot gave their momentum a significant boost, as John and Thady Gosden claimed the leading trainer title, edging out O’Brien on a countback after both yards saddled five winners across the week. Their victories included a trio of Group 1 wins in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and the Gold Cup.

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The perceived second-string from Ballydoyle, the daughter of Starspangledbanner ran out a two-and-a-half length winner over her stable companion and race favourite True Love (4/5), the mount of Ryan Moore.

PRECISE

Classic redemption in the Irish 1,000 Guineas @Tattersalls1766 | @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/jEO1zwUHUt

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 24, 2026

Precise, who was seventh to True Love in the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on 3 May, raced towards the rear of the field for much of today’s race.

Positioned in third approaching the two-furlong pole, Lordan soon asked Precise to extend and she stayed on well to hold off the challenge of True Love.

Aidan O'Brien was very pleased with Precise in landing the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas as two more members of the family give their reaction. pic.twitter.com/qqeWlndee8

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 24, 2026

Abishiri (6/1) from the Charlie Appleby yard was third for jockey William Buick.

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The mount of Ryan Moore, who was runner-up to Bow Echo in the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, ran out a three-length winner over the Charlie Appleby-trained Distant Storm (5/1), the mount of Billy Loughnane.

The English handler also provided the third placer as Pacific Avenue (40/1) was another length behind his stable companion and was ridden by Irish jockey Jamie Spencer.

Commenting on the winner, Gstaad, Aidan O’Brien said of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner:

“He’s very straightforward, he just needs little bit of room to get going. Sometimes if it gets too tactical or if he gets caught up in pace that wasn’t strong early (it doesn’t suit). He’s probably stronger now and The Curragh was lovely.”

Gstaad leads them home in the @Tattersalls1766 Irish 2,000 Guineas! @curraghrace | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/lgRRPnWsm1

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026

O’Brien and Moore teamed up for a further two winners on The Curragh card on Saturday.

The pair claimed the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes with Causeway (5/6 favourite). The son of Wootton Bassett, who holds entries in the Group 1 Betfred Derby at Epsom next month, and in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, was winning for the fourth time in his five-race career.

41-111

Causeway is a tough nut to crack!

The Wootton Bassett colt makes it three from three this term under a strong Ryan Moore in the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule Stakes @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/seJ7025kb5

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026

Sergei Diaghilev (4/6 favourite) got the day off to the perfect start for O’Brien, Moore and the Coolmore partners as he took the opening Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden.

The well-supported Sergei Diaghilev (Wootton Bassett) strikes on debut and this colt is likely a name to note for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/vCS1V0yYf8

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026

O’Brien said of the juvenile son of Wootton Bassett:

“He only stepped into main work in the last two weeks and he did a nice piece of work last Saturday. We ran him because we thought he could be a Coventry (Stakes) horse, Ryan (Moore, jockey) wasn’t sure if he was going to know enough in time.”

Moore achieved a four-timer on the first day of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival as he also won the Group 2 Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes with Commanche Brave.

Fifth behind the mighty Ka Ying Rising last month, Comanche Brave dominates back on home soil in the Group 2 @weatherbysltd Greenlands Stakes for Ryan Moore and Donnacha O’Brien @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/CpramQf1xI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026

Trained by Donnacha O’Brien, youngest son of Aidan, Commanche Brave was fifth to Ka Ying Rising on his most recent start when racing at Sha Tin.

He holds entries in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.

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Gstaad will face nine rivals in Saturday’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh as Aidan O’Brien’s colt looks to go one place better than his Newmarket Classic run.

The son of Starspangledbanner has yet to finish outside the first two in his career and arrives in Ireland after chasing home Bow Echo in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, where he was beaten two and three-quarter lengths.

That run came after a brilliant juvenile campaign, which was crowned by victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He now carries strong favourite status as O’Brien seeks a record-extending 13th win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and a first since 2023.

Aidan O’Brien Pair Lead Ballydoyle Challenge

Gstaad will be joined by stablemate Neolithic, who has won two of his six career starts. However, Hawk Mountain, who extended his winning sequence in the Group 3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly, was not declared.

Charlie Appleby will rely on Distant Storm, who was third behind Gstaad at Newmarket. The Godolphin runner, winner of last season’s Group 3 Somerville Tattersalls Stakes, finished eight lengths behind Gstaad in that Classic trial and now gets another chance to close the gap.

Buick Suspension Opens Door For Loughnane

With William Buick serving a six-day suspension for overuse of the whip on Caballo De Mar in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, Billy Loughnane takes the ride on Distant Storm. Jamie Spencer partners Appleby’s other runner, Pacific Avenue.

Karl Burke, who has made a flying start to the season and already passed the £1 million prize-money mark in Britain, sends over Alparslan. The Greenham Stakes winner is among the more interesting challengers at double-figure odds.

Thesecretadversary, fifth in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas and a Group 3 winner, also takes his chance for a race that looks centred around whether anything can seriously trouble Gstaad.

Confirmed Runners And Riders

Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas Betting

Race: Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas
Time: 3.40pm
Track: Curragh
Date: Saturday

• 4-9 Gstaad
• 4-1 Distant Storm
• 8-1 Thesecretadversary
• 12-1 Alparslan
• 33-1 Power Blue
• 40-1 Go Just Do It
• 50-1 Bamako Beach
• 66-1 Neolithic
• 66-1 Pacific Avenue
• 100-1 Take Charge Star

Verdict

Gstaad sets a clear standard on form and brings the strongest Classic profile into the race. Distant Storm has ground to make up, while Thesecretadversary and Alparslan look the most interesting each-way alternatives. However, if Gstaad runs to his Newmarket level, he should take plenty of beating.

Prediction: Gstaad to win, with Alparslan capable of outrunning his odds.

The post Preview – Gstaad Heads Irish 2,000 Guineas Field At The Curragh appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Breeders’ Cup winner Gstaad will be the headline act at flat racing’s HQ on Saturday afternoon as the runner-up to Bow Echo in the Betfred 2000 Guineas at Newmarket bids to win the first Irish classic of the 2026 season.

O’Brien bids for 13th win

The mount of Ryan Moore, the son of Starspangledbanner, will bid to give champion trainer Aidan O’Brien a 13th success in the colts’ classic, with the Ballydoyle handler also saddling Neolithic, a son of Sioux Nation, who will be the mount of Wayne Lordan.

Speaking earlier this week about Gstaad, Aidan O’Brien said after the colt’s final workout:

“He worked well earlier too and we’re happy with him. He seems to have come out of Newmarket well so we’re looking forward to Saturday.”

Three English Challengers

There is a three-pronged British-trained challenge. Godolphin’s trainer, Charlie Appleby, will be represented by Distant Storm – who was eight lengths third to Gstaad at Newmarket – and Pacific Avenue. The former will be ridden by Billy Loughnane, who will be bidding for a first Irish classic success, while Jamie Spencer will partner Pacific Avenue, as trainer Charlie Appleby bids to add to his 2022 victory in this race with Native Trail.

Alparslan, winner of the Tattersalls Sales race at The Curragh last September, comes from the Karl Burke yard, a trainer who has had much success in Ireland in recent years.

Fozzy Stack’s Thesecretadversary, more than nine lengths in arrears of Gstaad at Newmarket, Gowran Park maiden winner Go Just Do It from the Joseph O’Brien stable, along with Bamako Beach (Michael O’Callaghan), Power Blue (Robson Aguiar) and Take Charge Star (Johnny Murtagh) complete the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas field.

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Trained by Willie Mullins and carrying the Rich Ricci colours the daughter of Zarak took the four-year-old hurdle over 2m 3f and 85 yards at the Parisian track.

Runner-up in the Grade 1 Boodles Hurdle at Aintree on 9 April last, Lisgoold-born Townend kept the French-bred wide throughout the journey as he sought slightly better ground at the rain-soaked track.

What a performance!

SELMA DE VARY wins the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil!

A fourth win in the race for @WillieMullinsNH! pic.twitter.com/0mVscFpdrI

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2026

The former Irish champion jockey made an eye-catching move down the back as he asked the filly to move towards the head of the field.

The four-year-old jumped well at the final two hurdles in the straight, and battled to the line to hold off the final challenge of eventual runner-up and joint-favourite, Delmegan, who failed by a neck at the line.

"She's learning an awful lot!"@PTownend offers his verdict on Selma De Vary's Grade 1 triumph at Auteuil… pic.twitter.com/2saRFCOKU3

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2026

Leopard Du Berlais the other 2/1 joint-favourite was third six-and-a-half lengths behind the second-placer.

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Ridden by Johnny Charron, who won the French Champion Hurdle yesterday aboard Losange Bleu, among three winners on Saturday, has now completed the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double in the one season.

Handled by the training combination of Lageneste and Macaire, the nine-year-old ran out an easy 13-length victor over the 3 mile 5 furlong and 181 yard course.

An incredible comeback story!

SEL JEM wins back his Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris crown in style at Auteuil… pic.twitter.com/H3caLSp6dA

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2026

Run in driving rain and on ground described as Soft to Heavy, 33/1 chance Bon Garcon finished as runner-up, with Gold Tweet a further length and a quarter next in third place.

There wasn’t any Irish representation in the weekend’s feature race at the Parisian racecourse, but the Willie Mullins-trained Selma De Vary won the Grade 1 Prix Alain Du Breil Hurdle for four-year-old half an hour earlier.

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