FAI to net bonus of €2.1m from Euro 2020
THE Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is in line for a €2.1m bonus from Uefa if Dublin’s staging of four games from Euro 2020 is deemed a success.
That is according to briefing documents circulated to members of Dublin City Council, which confirm that the council is set to spend €3.75m for its role in hosting the four games.
The four games at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in the summer of 2020 are to bring an economic benefit of between €40m to €50m to the country. Three group games and a final 16 match will be held at the Aviva and members of the City Council have been told that the council’s biggest outlay in its €3.75m spend is under the heading of ‘Fanzone’, which will cost €2.2m.
The cost of hosting the matches is being shared between the FAI, Uefa, Dublin City Council and Government.
The document states: “The FAI will be funded by Uefa to a potential €6.1m, which will be paid in stages on the run up to the tournament, and a bonus of €2.1m to be paid to the FAI on completion of a successful tournament. The majority of this money will fund the holding of actual matches in the Aviva ie the running and associated costs of the stadium.”
The document states that the contribution from Government will be similar to the €3.75m outlay by the City Council.
The document states: “The Government will contribute to the costs of a public transport programme, policing and security costs, and a promotional programme.”
The City Council draft Euro 2020 budget is also made up of €540,000 in ‘city promotion’; €349,435 in salaries, €248,000 in commercial inventory; €250,000 under the heading of ‘contingency’ and €133,000 in legacy projects. A further €5,500 has been set aside for ‘logo launch’.
A Euro 2020 Project Working Group has been up and running since 2016, and it meets monthly with members from each of the relevant stakeholders.
Dublin is one of 13 cities across Europe chosen to host the event on a once-off basis to mark the 60th anniversary of Uefa’s prestigious competition.
In December of next year, Dublin’s Convention Centre is to host the live televised draw for the finals.