Larne to host Coleraine in Charity Shield on 3 July

Irish Premiership champions Larne will host Irish Cup winners Coleraine at Inver Park in this year’s Northern Ireland Football League Charity Shield on Friday, 3 July.

The match will act as a useful warm-up for both sides as they prepare to enter European club competition during July.

The fixture was traditionally held as a curtain-raiser to the new Irish League season but since 2023 has been used to prepare for participation in Europe.

Larne will compete in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers the following week while Coleraine will enter the Uefa Conference League qualifiers at the second round stage.

Dungannon Swifts won last year’s Charity Shield by beating Linfield 5-3 on penalties after a goalless draw between the sides at Windsor Park.