Larne, the Irish Premiership champions, 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. 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. Larne striker Matty Lusty and Coleraine midfielder Mark Coyle have been involved in several high-profile matches against each other. The Charity Shield has been used to prepare for participation in Europe since 2023, replacing its traditional role as a curtain-raiser to the new Irish League season. Larne's Inver Park will host the match, which is expected to be a closely contested affair.