European football set for return to Larne's Inver Park

Larne all but secured the Irish Premiership title with Monday night's draw away to Linfield

Larne are set to host European football at Inver Park next season having been granted the required Uefa licence.

Tiernan Lynch's side have all but secured their second consecutive league title going into the final weekend of the season, leading Linfield by three points with a far superior goal difference following Monday night's 1-1 draw at Windsor Park.

The Inver Reds had played their Champions League and Europa Conference League fixtures at Solitude last season as the synthetic playing surface at their home ground did not meet Fifa requirements.

They year, however, it has been confirmed that Inver Park will be suitable to host games in European football's biggest club competition.

The Irish Premiership's top three of Larne, Linfield and Cliftonville are all already guaranteed their European spots for 2024/25, with the league's final spot to be decided through a play-off.

Crusaders, Glentoran, Coleraine and one of Carrick Rangers or Dungannon Swifts will fight it out for that last place.

Going into the final day of the season, Carrick lead Dungannon by three points but with an inferior goal difference.

Carrick go to Glenavon on Saturday, while the Swifts will host Ballymena United.

Whoever secures 7th spot, neither side would host European games at their own ground should they advance through the play-offs.

Carrick would use the Ballymena Showgrounds rather than the Loughview Leisure Arena, while Dungannon have put forward Cliftonville's Solitude and not Stangmore Park.

In the Championship, it was already known that Dundela would not be granted the Premiership licence that would allow them to take part in the promotion play-off.

Third in the standings going into Friday's final round of fixtures, the three teams still in the frame to take on Ballymena United with a Premiership place at stake - Annagh United, Bangor and Institute - were all granted the required licence, as were champions Portadown.

Glentoran Women FC have been awarded the Uefa Women's Champions League licence that will allow them to take part in that competition this season.