Bulgaria v Northern Ireland live stream, Tuesday 12 October, 7.45pm BST
Northern Ireland must beat Bulgaria on Tuesday to keep their faint hopes of World Cup qualification alive.
Ian Baraclough and his players are already up against it in their attempt to become the first Northern Ireland team to represent the nation at the World Cup since 1986. They have amassed only five points from five games so far, and sit six behind Switzerland in second place. A recent double-header against the Swiss yielded just a solitary point, which allowed Murat Yakin’s side to open up a healthy lead over both Northern Ireland and Bulgaria.
Baraclough’s side must now rely on Switzerland slipping up at least twice. It is certainly possible that they will lose to Italy next month, but it is harder to envisage defeats by one of Lithuania or Bulgaria. Nevertheless, Northern Ireland must aim to finish as close to the top two as possible, and Tuesday’s match is crucial in that regard. Bulgaria are also on five points at the time of writing, although they have played one game more than their upcoming opponents.
The reverse fixture in March ended goalless, with neither side able to make the breakthrough in Belfast. Northern Ireland dominated possession on that occasion, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third was their downfall. It is a result which Baraclough no doubt looks back on with regret; an additional two points in that game would have put Northern Ireland closer to the top two as the finish line comes into view.
Northern Ireland will have to make do without Jamal Lewis, Jonny Evans, Trevor Carson, Michael Smith, Alistair McCann, Gavin Whyte and Shayne Lavery for the trip to Sofia. Craig Cathcart will assume Evans’ role as the defensive organiser, while Northern Ireland must ensure Conor Washington receives sufficient support up front.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm BST on Tuesday, 12 October, and UK viewers can watch it on Sky Sports. See below for international broadcast options.
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VPN guide
Use a VPN to watch World Cup qualifiers from outside your country
If you’re out of the country for a round of fixtures, then annoyingly your domestic on-demand services won’t work – the broadcaster knows where you are because of your IP address (boo!). You'll be blocked from watching it, which is not ideal if you’ve paid up for a subscription and still want to catch Steve Bruce’s extra-red face without resorting to illegal feeds you’ve found on Reddit.
But assistance is on hand. To get around that, all you have to do is get a Virtual Private Network (VPN), assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and t'internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are and won't automatically block the service you've paid for. All the info going between is entirely encrypted – and that's a result.
There are plenty of good-value options out there, including:
UK TV rights
How to watch Premier League live streams for UK subscribers
Sky Sports and BT Sport are the two main players once again, but Amazon also have a slice of the pie in 2021/22.
US TV rights
How to watch Premier League live streams for US subscribers
NBC Sports Group are the Premier League rights holders, with the Peacock Premium streaming platform showing even more than the 175 games it aired last season, with other matches split between NBCSN channel, CNBC and the over-the-air NBC broadcast channel. If you pick up a fuboTV subscription for the games not on Peacock Premium, you'll be able to watch every game.
Head back to our VPN advice so you can take advantage when you're out of the country.
Canada TV rights
How to watch Premier League live streams for Canadian subscribers
DAZN subscribers can watch every single Premier League game in 2021/22 – and it gets better. After a one-month free trial, you'll only have to pay a rolling $20-a-month fee, or make it an annual subscription of $150.
The broadcaster also has all the rights to Champions League and Europa League games in Canada, too.
Want in while you're out of Canada? Scroll back up and check out the VPN offers above.
Australia TV rights
How to watch Premier League live streams for Australian subscribers
Optus Sport are offering every game of the Premier League season for just $14.99/month for non-subscribers, which you can get via a Fetch TV box and other friendly streaming devices.
To take advantage while you're not Down Under, follow the VPN advice towards the top of this page.
New Zealand TV rights
How to watch a Premier League live stream for New Zealand subscribers
Spark Sport are serving up all 380 games – plus various highlights and magazine shows throughout the week, as well as the Champions League – for $24.99 a month, after a seven-day free trial.
It's also available via web browsers, Apple/Android devices, Google Chromecast and some Samsung TVs, and Apple TV and Smart TV compatibility new for this season.
Check out our VPN deals to watch when you’re not in New Zealand.
