Horse racing’s biggest week reaches its climax on Friday while Formula One, Six Nations rugby and Premier League football dominate the weekend schedule.
This weekend’s television schedule offers an unusually broad spread of sport, from racing at Cheltenham and Formula One in China to a decisive round of Six Nations rugby and several major Premier League fixtures.
Friday centres on the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the highlight of the National Hunt calendar. Saturday shifts attention to the Six Nations and Premier League football, while Sunday brings the Chinese Grand Prix, the Women’s League Cup final, and more Premier League action.
Across the three days there is also cycling, golf, tennis, winter sports and motorsport filling the schedules from early morning to late night.
Friday 13 March – Cheltenham Gold Cup day
Friday’s schedule begins long before lunchtime with international sport from Australia and Asia.
Formula One begins preparations for the Chinese Grand Prix with practice at 3am on Sky Sports F1, followed by Sprint Qualifying at 6.45am.
Winter sport fans can follow the Winter Paralympic Games live from 7.50am on Channel 4, while motorsport coverage from the World Rally Championship in Kenya begins at 5.45am on TNT Sports.
The main event of the day is at Cheltenham.
Pick of the day
Cheltenham Festival – Gold Cup Day
12.45pm, ITV1
The Cheltenham Festival concludes with its most famous race, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, widely regarded as the pinnacle of jump racing. Four days of competition culminate in the staying chase that often defines the season.
Elsewhere during the afternoon:
- The Players Championship golf, round two, 11.30am, Sky Sports Golf
- Tirreno Adriatico cycling, stage five, 12pm, TNT Sports
- Paris Nice cycling, stage six from 2.15pm
Evening sport includes domestic football and rugby:
- Wrexham v Swansea City, Championship, 7pm, Sky Sports Football
- Edinburgh v Ulster, United Rugby Championship, 7.15pm, Premier Sports
- Wakefield Trinity v Leeds Rhinos, Challenge Cup, 7.45pm, BBC iPlayer
Late evening coverage features the World Baseball Classic quarter final at 10pm on TNT Sports.
Saturday 14 March – Six Nations and Premier League
Saturday begins early with motorsport.
The Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Race takes place at 2.25am on Sky Sports F1, followed by qualifying at 6.30am.
Morning viewers can also follow the Winter Paralympics from 7.50am on Channel 4.
Domestic football starts late morning:
- Coventry City v Southampton, Championship, 11am, Sky Sports Football
Pick of the day
Six Nations: Ireland v Scotland
1pm, ITV1
Both teams still have a realistic path to the championship, making this one of the most important matches of the final weekend.
Other Saturday highlights include:
- Wales v Italy, Six Nations, 4pm, BBC One
- Arsenal v Everton, Premier League, 5pm, Sky Sports
- Chelsea v Newcastle, Premier League, 5pm, Sky Sports
- West Ham v Manchester City, Premier League, 7pm, TNT Sports
The Six Nations concludes the evening with a heavyweight clash.
France v England, 7.20pm, ITV1
Sunday 15 March – Chinese Grand Prix and Women’s League Cup Final
Sunday begins early for motorsport fans.
Chinese Grand Prix
5.30am, Sky Sports F1
The Formula One season continues with the Chinese Grand Prix, following sprint and qualifying sessions earlier in the weekend.
The morning also includes Winter Paralympic coverage from 7.50am on Channel 4.
Pick of the day
Women’s League Cup Final – Chelsea v Manchester United
1.50pm, BBC One
Manchester United will attempt to claim revenge after losing last year’s FA Cup final to Chelsea. With the Blues experiencing an inconsistent season, the final could be more open than expected.
Other key Sunday fixtures:
- Manchester United v Aston Villa, Premier League, 1pm, Sky Sports
- Liverpool v Tottenham, Premier League, 4pm, Sky Sports
- PREM Cup Final – Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs, 2.45pm, TNT Sports
Motorsport fans can watch the IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington at 4.30pm on Sky Sports F1, while evening football includes Lazio v AC Milan at 7.30pm on TNT Sports.
Watching sport while travelling
Many UK streaming services and sports broadcasters restrict access outside the UK due to licensing agreements. Travellers often discover that platforms such as Sky Sports, TNT Sports, ITVX or BBC iPlayer become unavailable while abroad.
Using a UK based VPN can allow viewers to connect through domestic servers and access the services they already subscribe to.
LibertyShield operates UK servers designed for reliable streaming connections. Readers can test compatibility using the 48 hour free trial before committing.