Northern Ireland: Irish Football Association announces plans for a new national football centre

The Irish Football Association, the governing body for football in Northern Ireland, has announced plans to create "a new state-of-the-art, multi-million pound national football centre as part of a significant strategic investment," said the body on 25/02/2025.

After a "comprehensive review" of options in Northern Ireland, the new national football centre will be located on a "50-acre site" opposite and, in partnership with, the renowned Galgorm Resort near Ballymena (County Antrim). It will "feature world-class pitches and cutting-edge training facilities, fully realising the Association's ambition to create a project that will become the beating heart of Northern Ireland's football community, supporting both elite and grassroots players," explained the IFA.

The national football centre is also "designed to serve Northern Ireland's international squads whilst aiming to support the charitable and community activities of the Irish FA Foundation, and marks a bold investment in the future of the game," said the IFA, which is "working to secure statutory permissions and initiate…