IFA announces that 500 people will be able to attend Irish Cup final next week

The final is arguably the main highlight of the footballing season in Northern Ireland, but it had looked likely that it would be hosted in a closed stadium due to the Covid crisis.

Now, the IFA has released a statement following a change in the lockdown rules, taking effect from Friday, which will allow sports spectators in numbers controlled by each individual venue.

The statement reads: “The Irish FA can confirm plans are being finalised to allow approximately 500 spectators to attend the Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup final at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park on Friday 31 July.

“The association is working closely with the clubs remaining in the competition regarding the allocation of tickets both to players’ families and a small number of additional supporters.

“The development is in line with the Northern Ireland Executive’s continued journey towards easing lockdown where it has stated supporters can attend outdoor sporting events ‘where the operator can control access and ensure adherence to social distancing’.

“Irish FA CEO Patrick Nelson said: ‘Safety is paramount. We will work to ensure all guidelines are followed and liaise closely with the clubs involved to ensure tickets are distributed responsibly and that those inside the stadium adhere to social distancing at all times. We will continue to work with clubs and leagues to interpret what the NI Executive guidelines mean for the game at all levels’.”

The teams for the final will be determined on Monday, when Ballymena go head to head with Coleraine and Cliftonville battle it out against Glentoran.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe