The FAI has made a formal expression of interest to host the finals of the 2020 UEFA Euro Championships.  Last night was the deadline for doing so and Ireland has been asked to consider a co hosted bid with the Football Associations of Wales and Scotland.
The FAI was at pains to stress yesterday that the notification was merely to access the more detailed information that would be required from UEFA before a formal bid was made in around 18 months time.  Current requirement are four a host to provide four stadia with capacities in excess of 50,000 and others of more than 40,000 and more than 30,000.  The three bidders would be able to cover that even if Croke Park was unavailable at what would be the busiest time of a GAA Championship season.
The only other formal bid made up until yesterday was from Turkey while sources also suggested that Georgia and possibly one more country might have been in contact with UEFA.  Turkey would be a difficult choice given the match fixing scandal that resulted in the national Champions Fenerbahce being expelled from the 2012 UEFA Champions’ League.
Nothing will be done on a potential bid until after next month’s Euro 2012 Finals but the clock would then be ticking to succeed France which will host an expanded 24 team finals in 2016.
The government and sporting authorities are already giving consideration to a bid to host the Rugby World Cup Finals in 2022.
One of the Committees which Sport for Business will be establishing with members over the coming months is on just such major event initiatives, looking at how the business community may seek to assist in bringing sporting events to Ireland.