Gibraltar will be Ireland’s first home opposition in the qualification round for the 2016 European Championships.
It will be their first competitive series and guest columnist Justin Doyle has taken a look at how they will fund their participation.
So, just how will Gibraltar, one of Ireland’s European Championship Qualifying opponents for 2016, and the smallest International soccer ‘nation’ in the world, fund themselves?
Quite comfortably it seems. Because apart from rich investors, on an island known for its offshore investments, money will come in from other quarters as well. Not least among them is UEFA.
Although FIFA refused to sanction the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) meaning they were not eligible for World Cup qualifying campaigns, UEFA have accepted them in time for the 2016 Euros.
With a tiny population of just 30,000, the GFA will therefore receive allocations from UEFA of €500,000 for ‘running costs’ and a further €800,000 for development of ‘infrastructure’. This comes under a scheme for newly accepted footballing nations called the ‘Hat Trick Programme’.
Their current ground, the Victoria Stadium which houses 5,000, is not up to UEFA standards and while they will be allowed to play friendly internationals there, all other internationals will have to be played 4 hours away in Portugal. Construction is soon expected to get underway in earnest for their new site for a new 10,000 capacity ground at Europa Point
So the GFA, the world’s oldest international association formed in 1895, is now the newest member of the family of European footballing nations and they will play their first official match against Estonia next month.
But soccer is also in a very good and healthy state on the island right now. Although current standards are poor in comparison to top Leagues and International quality, things can only improve with the likes of Lincoln FC on the verge of a 7th successive win in the Gibraltar Premier League. Should that happen, the club will qualify for the preliminary rounds of the Champions League for which they will also receive €200,000 from the UEFA Champions League kitty before a ball is kicked.
Justin Doyle is a freelance sports writer who has written biographies of Christy O’Connor, Rory McIlroy, Graham Geraghty and Florida Pearl.
