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Dundalk wants to play all three Europa League group stage matches at the Windsor Park National Football Stadium in Belfast.
The Irish Independent learned that the Lilywhites hierarchy is currently in talks with the Irish Football Association (IFA) after a dramatic break in the relationship with the FAI.
Dundalk is also said to be completely exasperated by the IRFU’s stubbornness in refusing to allow them to host their first Europa League match against Molde at Aviva Stadium on October 22.
Dundalk announced this week that the clash with the Norwegians would take place at Tallaght Stadium and games against Arsenal and Rapid Vienna will take place at Aviva.
As a result, UEFA officials had site visits yesterday (Friday 9 October) at the two possible venues as part of their own preparations, but Dundalk is in the process of trying to find out if it will be possible to move all three instead, the games north of the border.
While the opening game was believed to have been changed to Tallaght because Ireland welcomed Italy to Aviva for the start of its Six Nations campaign on October 24, sources informed the Irish Independent that Dundalk was denied the permission to play at the Aviva because the IRFU required it to be used solely for a kicking session for Andy Farrell’s side.
Dundalk bosses are said to be perplexed by the refusal of their rugby counterparts to compromise and disappointed by the FAI’s inability to help negotiate more fluid negotiations.
If Dundalk and the IFA can reach an agreement in principle, the Irish League club must
UEFA’s own match scheduling guidelines state the following. “In principle, a club must play all its matches in the competition in the same venue. Starting from the group stage, the change of venue can only be changed based on a decision by UEFA.
“A place can be the land of the local club or other land in the same or another city within the territory of your association.
“Exceptionally, the UEFA administration may accept a venue in the territory of another UEFA member association if no other suitable venue is available in the home territory …”
As Tallaght Stadium was already used for the Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk Europa League campaigns in 2011 and 2016 respectively, the likelihood of moving to Belfast is unlikely.
However, the depth of feelings in Dundalk is something they are willing to try.
Online editors
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