Lansdowne Road to host major European Final

MrJoeSoap

The new-look Lansdowne Road has been provisionally chosen as the venue for the final of a major European club competition, most likely the Uefa Cup, after its redevelopment is completed in 2009.

Work is scheduled to begin on the stadium early next year, with the Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino on November 15th bringing down the curtain on the old venue.

And the joint IRFU/FAI project, which is slated to cost in the region of €360m, has received a boost in the form of a pledge from European’s governing body to bring a major club final to Dublin on the stadium’s completion.

Uefa have indicated that the final of the Uefa Cup in 2010 is the most likely game to be assigned to a new-look Lansdowne, which will have an all-seater capacity of 50,000.

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/offthefield/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=24657

Pity its not the CL Final, we might have had a chance to see Shels.

BaZmO*

Delaney is just after been on Today FM confirming this. He actually said that it could be either a UEFA Cup Final or a Champions League Final.

That's great news, although I reckon it'll be the former rather than the latter.

bucks73

Just heard that on sports news too. Would be great to get either.

Jonny Arson

Absolutely fantastic news!!!!!!




if it's even built by 2010!

damienom

Great news and all as it is it is dependent on something occurring that has never occurred since the foundation of this fine nation many of us call home.....the completion of a major development on time....

eirebhoy

At least this is a decent reason the get the stadium completed by 2009.

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Ireland should host the UEFA Cup final in 2010 if the rebuilding of its Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin is completed on time, the CEO of European football's governing body said on Thursday.

Lars-Christer Olsson confirmed that his organisation are also hopeful of awarding the finals of the under-21 European Championship to Ireland in the following year.

'If all goes well, Ireland should expect to host the UEFA Cup final in 2010 and most likely the under-21 finals in 2011,' Olsson told.

According to the soccer chief, UEFA envisages the under-21 finals as a joint venture between the Dublin-based Football Association of Ireland (FAI), which is in charge of the game in the Republic, and the Belfast-based Irish Football Association (IFA), which governs the game in Northern Ireland.

'Basically you need four to five small to medium size stadiums and one very large one, so this would really have to be shared between the two associations,' Olsson said.

If approved, it will be the first time that Ireland will host a major European soccer final or major tournament.
Work on redeveloping Lansdowne Road, which hosts Ireland's soccer and rugby internationals, is expected to begin in January with completion of the new 50,000-seater stadium expected by 2009.

'The stadium needs to be up and running for at least a year before we would give the go ahead, but at the moment it's all systems go,' Olsson said.

More good news is that it guarantees us qualification for the U21 finals, probably for the first time ever.

eigrod

Ah, but will it still have character without the ivy on the walls and the smell of stale piss ?

Mossy Monk

lol

great news, saw it the one o clock news

the UEFA man hinted strongly that the capacity will be too small for the Champions League

okidoki987

Great news but unlikely to be Champions League due to 50,000 capacity
On the RTE 1pm news they said "Landsdowne road's new stadium will host the UEFA cup final at some stage in the future".
They then showed highlights from last years CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL .

zAbbo

Great News, Last Season Uefa final was a far better match than the CL one.

Good Stuff, and maybe a reason to implement a proper match transport system, instead of jammed Darts.

mike65

from Reutures

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - Ireland should host the UEFA Cup final in 2010 if the rebuilding of its Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin is completed on time, the CEO of European football's governing body said on Thursday.

Lars-Christer Olsson confirmed that his organisation are also hopeful of awarding the finals of the under-21 European Championship to Ireland in the following year.

"If all goes well, Ireland should expect to host the UEFA Cup final in 2010 and most likely the under-21 finals in 2011," Olsson told Reuters.

According to the soccer chief, UEFA envisages the under-21 finals as a joint venture between the Dublin-based Football Association of Ireland (FAI), which is in charge of the game in the Republic, and the Belfast-based Irish Football Association (IFA), which governs the game in Northern Ireland.

"Basically you need four to five small to medium size stadiums and one very large one, so this would really have to be shared between the two associations," Olsson said.

If approved, it will be the first time that Ireland will host a major European soccer final or major tournament.

Work on redeveloping Lansdowne Road, which hosts Ireland's soccer and rugby internationals, is expected to begin in January with completion of the new 50,000-seater stadium expected by 2009.

"The stadium needs to be up and running for at least a year before we would give the go ahead, but at the moment it's all systems go," Olsson said.

Hope its a Champions League final and that its Liverpool vs Shels!

Mike.

Ruu_Old

Just read the story, would be very good to see it alright.

cournioni

Need the stadium built first... I'll believe it when I see it!