LOI in Europe 2022

**Martinho II** · 29/07/2022, 9:30 PM

Delighted for Sligo Rovers and St Pats. Before the news that the showgrounds is hosting the next round at one stage a Sligo Rovers fan I work with had said to me that she had heard that our ground Bishopsgate was linked with hosting the next round along with Tallaght. I thought UEFA were strict on seats I thought Im a bit surprised!

**El-Pietro** · 29/07/2022, 9:34 PM

Not sure if the requirements have changed but we've gotten away with hosting third round qualifiers in the somewhat recent past, Genk being the most recent I think. But we were always aware that UEFA could decide Turners Cross wasn't suitable. A playoff would have been a step too far from what I recall, and there was lots of debate about where a playoff would be held, would Pairc U� Caoimh be oen to us, or would we have to go to Dublin or Limerick (Thomond). I think the RSC would meet more of the requirements than the Cross, partically parking, access and media facilities.

**CorribsideSteve** · 29/07/2022, 9:34 PM

Sligo have secured the Showgrounds for their ECL 3rd tie https://twitter.com/sligorovers/stat...29434260717570. These next couple of years are the time to step up and improve stadiums. Hopefully LOI teams making it to latter rounds will help force the issue. The lack of viable stadium capacity and facilities is going to keep repeating itself till there's a worthy resolution from the Government and sports bodies .

**kksaints** · 29/07/2022, 9:38 PM

Is Thomond a Category 3 stadium? I know that even if the GAA allowed their stadium to be used a lot of them wouldn't be Category 4 because of the terraces.

**Asterix** · 29/07/2022, 9:54 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_�ire

Is that Category 3?
If so, it's really just Tallaght. Lansdowne and Windsor would be the only other grounds here that would meet the criteria (both are category 4).

Turners Cross would have the required 4.5k seating capacity, but things like car parking, I presume not?

As we've seen with the Showgrounds, and Tallaght, UEFA seem to have a bit of flexibility in how rigidly they apply the rules.
Considering that, you would imagine Turners Cross and the Brandywell should be fine.

With the extra stand in Tallaght, it should be category 4 handy enough.

Tallaght will be category 4 by next summer. Theres work going to be done in the main stand to get it to cat 4 as well as the new stand being built.

**brendy_�ire** · 29/07/2022, 9:56 PM

Originally Posted by kksaints

Is Thomond a Category 3 stadium? I know that even if the GAA allowed their stadium to be used a lot of them wouldn't be Category 4 because of the terraces.

Category 4? I don't think the terraces matter, since they're not used anyway.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_stadium_categories

I doubt a lot of the Category 3/4 requirements are enforced though.
Things like car parking, for example. Does Lansdowne have any, never mind 150 spaces?

**nigel-harps1954** · 29/07/2022, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_�ire

Category 4? I don't think the terraces matter, since they're not used anyway.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_stadium_categories

I doubt a lot of the Category 3/4 requirements are enforced though.
Things like car parking, for example. Does Lansdowne have any, never mind 150 spaces?

There's an underground carpark in Lansdowne I think

**El-Pietro** · 29/07/2022, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by brendy_�ire

Category 4? I don't think the terraces matter, since they're not used anyway.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_stadium_categories

I doubt a lot of the Category 3/4 requirements are enforced though.
Things like car parking, for example. Does Lansdowne have any, never mind 150 spaces?

Yeah stadiums can have terraces, they just aren't allowed to be used. Genk is another example of this. Genk away they closed the two huge terraces behind the goals and had fans in the upper section where it was seated.
LOI fans always overlook the non capacity requirements. UEFA are less likely to overlook them if the opposition is a big draw.

**sbgawa** · 29/07/2022, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

There's an underground carpark in Lansdowne I think

Massive underground car park, easily couple of hundred spaces

**El-Pietro** · 29/07/2022, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by kksaints

Is Thomond a Category 3 stadium? I know that even if the GAA allowed their stadium to be used a lot of them wouldn't be Category 4 because of the terraces.

Honestly, I'd be shocked if Thomond wasn't cat 4. It has 15k seated capacity, and regularly hosts high profile tv games so surely it has the media requirements.

**Asterix** · 29/07/2022, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Yeah stadiums can have terraces, they just aren't allowed to be used. Genk is another example of this. Genk away they closed the two huge terraces behind the goals and had fans in the upper section where it was seated.
LOI fans always overlook the non capacity requirements. UEFA are less likely to overlook them if the opposition is a big draw.

Its being changed, dortmund have said they will be allowed to have standing in their champions leauge games this year.

**nigel-harps1954** · 29/07/2022, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Honestly, I'd be shocked if Thomond wasn't cat 4. It has 15k seated capacity, and regularly hosts high profile tv games so surely it has the media requirements.

Not just about media requirements. Floodlight requirements, TV studios, VIP carpark spaces, commentary positions, TV camera positions, media with desks, and a whole heap of other requirements to meet Cat 3 standard.

**D24Saint** · 29/07/2022, 10:29 PM

I just don�t get the no standing rule by uefa. They should make teams get an assessment on what the safe standing amount in a ground is, end of. Everything uefa rule tends to be elitist towards wealthier clubs.

**joey B** · 29/07/2022, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by D24Saint

I just don’t get the no standing rule by uefa. They should make teams get an assessment on what the safe standing amount in a ground is, end of. Everything uefa rule tends to be elitist towards wealthier clubs.

The Premier league are introducing safe standing again,UEFA will follow suit in no time id say!

**El-Pietro** · 29/07/2022, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Not just about media requirements. Floodlight requirements, TV studios, VIP carpark spaces, commentary positions, TV camera positions, media with desks, and a whole heap of other requirements to meet Cat 3 standard.

Yeah, thats my point, Thomond hosts high profile tv games regularly. I'd be surprised if it didn't meet cat 4 requirements. I don't know how to verify it one way or the other

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 30/07/2022, 6:29 AM

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...me-since-1988/

**legendz** · 30/07/2022, 8:38 AM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Yeah, thats my point, Thomond hosts high profile tv games regularly. I'd be surprised if it didn't meet cat 4 requirements. I don't know how to verify it one way or the other

Definitely category 4. 15,000 seated, all the other niggly criteria met as well, not a problem. The best Sligo can hope for is that Connaught Rugby get a decent stadium sorted.

**nigel-harps1954** · 30/07/2022, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

Definitely category 4. 15,000 seated, all the other niggly criteria met as well, not a problem. The best Sligo can hope for is that Connaught Rugby get a decent stadium sorted.

Definitely remember reading that Thomond doesn't meet Cat 4 standard.

Lansdowne and Tallaght the only Cat 4 stadia we have.

**D24Saint** · 30/07/2022, 9:39 AM

Managed to find a way to Sofia next week. The first transfer is a tad tight but hopefully all goes smooth. Organising these things last minute is tough going.