Donegal Community Stadium
Featured image credit: Donegal Community Stadium
Irish football chiefs have outlined plans for a €390m cash boost that would see the construction of at least 10 stadiums with a capacity of more than 10,000 in the next 15 years.
In their ‘Facility Investment Vision and Strategy for Irish Football’, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has earmarked a total of €863m in spending, which would be put towards League of Ireland (LOI) stadiums and facilities, grassroots facilities and the development of an elite national training centre in Abbotstown.
The FAI’s report claims a lack of investment is seriously hindering the development of the game and standards, and that the upgrading of elite and grassroots facilities is vital.
The €390m would be spent on building an academy and training hub for every LOI club, transforming in-stadium fan experience and broadcast product, and fit-for-purpose stands, structures and amenities.
In the first five years, the FAI wants each venue to have a new ‘fit for purpose’ main stand and a new grass playing surface. Existing stadium projects such as Dalymount Park, the Finn Harps stadium and the vision for a new Sligo Rovers base are included in calculations for the early phase.
In perhaps its most ambitious aim, the FAI wants every club to have a minimum of a 4,000-capacity stadium with 10 in the 10,000-20,000 bracket and 10 accommodating up to 6,000 within 15 years. Every LOI ground would have two final stands behind each goal with a minimum of 1,000 capacity seated or safe standing, and there would space behind each stand to accommodate a variety of F&B outlets, if not incorporated into stand design.
The report states: “Our League of Ireland is thriving with sold-out stadia and an increasingly strong on-field product, but the state of our facility infrastructure is clearly holding the League back.
“Our LOI stadia are pretty much in the same condition as they were 20 years ago – sub-standard, often dangerous broadcast facilities with no F&B or fit-for-purpose toilet facilities for fans. Of the top 40 largest stadia by capacity in Ireland only three of those play host to football.
“This investment would gradually and sustainably transform League of Ireland football forever.”
FAI officials are looking for 60% of their vision (€517m) to be funded by government with 20% (€173m) coming from local project partners including local authorities and the other 20& generated by the FAI via their own funding sources such as FIFA, UEFA and a newly established independent Ireland Football Facilities Fund which aims to attract private investment.
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