International Cricket

Ireland Home 2026-27 Fixtures: Clontarf Malahide Belfast Decoded

Vikram Joshi 19 May 2026 Updated 19 May 2026 ~6 min read ~1,026 words

Clontarf Cricket Club ground with the Dublin skyline behind

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Cricket Ireland's 2026-27 home window includes five bilateral series and one ICC qualifier event hosted at Clontarf, Malahide, and the Civil Service Cricket Club ground in Belfast. Ireland is the most active associate-tier full-member-pathway nation in cricket and the home schedule reflects that breadth. Here is the full fixture list with venue-by-venue tactical notes and broadcast information.

The five series in the 2026-27 home window

Ireland vs Zimbabwe: T20I and ODI series, July 16-30, 2026. Three T20Is at Malahide; three ODIs at Clontarf.

Ireland vs Afghanistan: T20I and ODI away series at Sharjah (covered in the Afghanistan piece). Not in Ireland's home window.

Ireland vs Pakistan A: T20I and ODI series, August 18-September 1, 2026. Three T20Is at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast; three ODIs at Malahide.

Ireland vs Bangladesh: T20I and ODI series, September 8-18, 2026. Three T20Is at Clontarf; three ODIs at Malahide.

Ireland vs Sri Lanka: T20I, ODI, and Test series, August 22-September 12, 2027 (note: scheduled in next cycle). Two Tests at Malahide; three ODIs at Clontarf; three T20Is at Civil Service.

The current 2026-27 cycle includes Zimbabwe, Pakistan A, and Bangladesh series. The Sri Lanka full-format series in 2027 is the next cycle's marquee.

Clontarf Cricket Club ground tactical notes

Clontarf is Ireland's primary ODI venue. The pitch is slower than Malahide and offers more spin from the middle overs. ODI scoring 240-275 range. The Dublin coastal weather aids early-morning swing.

The venue's capacity is approximately 7,500. Atmosphere is intimate and family-friendly. The hill stand is the primary fan zone. Food and beverage queues are manageable; security is light. Travel from central Dublin: 25 minutes by DART (suburban rail) to Clontarf Road station, then 8-minute walk.

Malahide Cricket Club ground tactical notes

Malahide is Ireland's primary T20I venue. The pitch is faster than Clontarf with more pace. T20I scoring 165-195 range. Boundary dimensions are full international standard.

The venue's capacity is approximately 8,500. The coastal Atlantic breeze affects swing in evening T20Is. Travel from central Dublin: 30 minutes by DART to Malahide station, then 6-minute walk to the ground.

Civil Service Cricket Club ground, Belfast

The CSCC ground is Ireland's Northern Ireland venue. Capacity approximately 6,000. Pitch is in between Clontarf and Malahide in pace. T20I scoring 160-185 range.

The Belfast location reflects Cricket Ireland's commitment to maintaining bilateral cricket in both jurisdictions of the island. Travel from Belfast city center: 15 minutes by car or taxi.

Broadcast in major markets

In Ireland: RTE Sport (free-to-air highlights) and Premier Sports (paid live coverage).

In UK: Sky Sports Cricket carries select matches. BBC Northern Ireland radio commentary for Belfast matches.

In Zimbabwe: ZBC carries the Zimbabwe series.

In Pakistan: PTV Sports carries the Pakistan A series.

In Bangladesh: T Sports carries the Bangladesh series.

In India: Disney+ Hotstar carries select matches with ACB and ICC rights. The Bangladesh series is on Star Sports.

Tickets and travel

Cricket Ireland releases tickets through the official Cricket Ireland online portal 30 days before each series. Prices EUR 12-25 for T20I; EUR 15-30 for ODIs. Family passes available at discounted rates.

International fans should book hotels in central Dublin (for Clontarf and Malahide) or central Belfast (for Civil Service). Average mid-range hotel in Dublin during cricket weeks: EUR 130-200. In Belfast: GBP 80-150.

Visa for Indian, USA, and other non-EU fans is the Schengen-style Ireland-Britain Common Travel Area visa or specific Ireland visa, available online. Processing typically 3-4 weeks.

Squad context

Captain across formats is Andrew Balbirnie (Tests) and Paul Stirling (white-ball). The batting unit around Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper-batter), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, and Andrew McBrine. The pace lead is Mark Adair with Josh Little in support. The spin attack: Andy McBrine (off-spin) and Ben White (leg-spin).

Coaching: Heinrich Malan continues as head coach. Greg Thompson is the bowling consultant for the 2026-27 cycle.

What to expect tactically

Ireland in their home window plays competitive cricket against full-member-tier opposition. The Zimbabwe series is the warm-up. Pakistan A series is the development opportunity. Bangladesh series in September is the marquee.

Ireland's home T20I record across the last 24 months: 9 wins, 7 losses against full-member sides. Their home ODI record: 6 wins, 5 losses.

What it means

Cricket Ireland is one of the most active emerging-tier boards. The 2026-27 home window provides quality competitive cricket across formats. Clontarf and Malahide are accessible Dublin venues; Belfast offers the Northern Ireland connection. Travel logistics via Dublin Airport are straightforward. The cricket promises to be tight, with Ireland competitive against any opposition outside the top six. Plan around the Bangladesh series in September for the marquee fan window.