Twenty Clubs Progress To Next Stage Of Ni Football Fund

Twenty clubs person progressed to nan adjacent shape of nan long-awaited Northern Ireland Football Fund.

Of nan 41 clubs eligible for nan stadia funding, 38 applied and 20 person now been successful for nan adjacent stage.

The backing was initially announced successful 2011 and, aft 14 years of delays, advancement was made successful January erstwhile nan Northern Ireland Executive announced that clubs could use for a stock of nan £36.2 cardinal group aside.

Glentoran and Cliftonville are nan 2 clubs who were successful successful progressing successful nan 3rd and astir costly tier, pinch backing applications of much than £6 million.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said Thursday's announcement is not a guarantee of funding, and further assessments and "rigorous owed diligence checks" will return spot earlier money is allocated.

Lyons estimated said nan departmental costs each 20 projects was "just complete £82 cardinal pounds", pinch an "estimated full task costs" came to £98 million.

Ballinamallard United, Ballymena United, Bandbridge Town, Bangor, Carrick Rangers, Dergview, Dungannon Swifts, Glenavon, Larne, Lisburn Rangers, Loughgall, Newry City, Oxford Sunnyside were successful successful nan mediate tier, which consisted of applications betwixt £1.5 cardinal to £6 million.

Armagh City, Ballymacash Rangers, Lisburn Distillery, Queens' University and Rathfriland Rangers were successful successful nan lowest tier, for backing applications of little than £1.5 million.

While £36.2 cardinal had been ringfenced by nan Stormont Executive, nan Department of Communities said nan full requested by clubs successful applications came excess of £167 million.

It was unfastened to clubs from nan Northern Ireland's apical 3 tiers - Irish Premiership, Championship and Premier Intermediate League - nan Women's Premiership and League of Ireland nine Derry City.

"We are successful this for nan agelong haul," said Lyons.

"It is clear that nan request and request astatine nine level exceeds nan existent disposable fund of £26.2 million.

"I will beryllium seeking nan adjacent and equitable funding, which is owed aft years of delays during which clip superior building costs person soared."

Prior to nan announcement connected Thursday, Lyons told BBC Sport that location is simply a "need" for much backing and his section would

"I'll ever beryllium looking to spot what I tin do wrong my ain superior budget.

"There are different intends by which we tin look for finance, that mightiness beryllium borrowing, that mightiness beryllium backstage sector, aliases further contributions from government.

"I'll research each of that, spot what we tin do."

Not each of nan wide full is disposable to clubs arsenic immoderate of nan money will spell towards grassroots accommodation successful Northern Ireland and nan projected caller National Football Centre astatine Galgorm.

The 20 successful clubs will move connected to nan adjacent shape of getting nan money towards amended their stadiums.

No timeline was fixed by Lyons connected nan adjacent steps successful nan process, but "due diligence" checks will beryllium carried retired connected nan 20 clubs who person progressed to nan adjacent stage.

The first applications were assessed connected 3 tiers. The footballing need, organization benefits and if they were financially sustainable.

The adjacent shape will spot further areas assessed:

Due diligence, financial and ineligible standing, and feasibility undertakings to return this forward

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Lyons had said that unsuccessful clubs would not beryllium "getting knocked retired conscionable yet".

"I want to make judge that everybody has their needs met. Even those that aren't going done connected Thursday will still person nan opportunity successful nan early to move further down nan process.

"There will beryllium bully news for nan clubs that are moving guardant but for those that weren't successful astatine this shape location is still hope. We will look to activity pinch those that are moving guardant and those that aren't."

The backing was unfastened to 41 clubs successful Northern Ireland, who could use for 1 of 3 categories.

The successful clubs for each class are:

In Thursday's announcement, Lyons said that "those not successful nan prioritised cohort" could beryllium brought to nan adjacent shape if much backing is made disposable successful nan future.

In bid to beryllium granted money, clubs must show that they will lend astatine slightest 5% of nan full task costs, and this rises to 40% for council-owned grounds.

DUP curate Lyons added that nan criteria for backing had been group by his section but nan scoring had been verified independently.

When nan backing was first announced successful 2011, Glentoran's Oval stadium successful eastbound Belfast was earmarked for £10 cardinal to thief towards its redevelopment and, alongside Cliftonville, was 1 of nan grounds who were successful successful nan highest tier.

The Northern Ireland Football Fund was initially announced arsenic sub-regional stadia backing successful 2011, arsenic portion of a wider package astatine redeveloping sporting accommodation crossed nan country.

Progress connected nan backing for home shot grounds was delayed by inaction and nan repeated illness of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government.

The National Football Stadium astatine Windsor Park and Ulster Rugby's crushed astatine Ravenhill were included successful nan 2011 backing and person since been redeveloped.

Gaelic games stadium Casement Park was besides earmarked for redevelopment but activity has yet to statesman connected nan Belfast venue aft concerns astir planning, costs and ineligible challenges.

It was put guardant to beryllium Northern Ireland's sole stadium for nan Euro 2028 shot finals but was withdrawn successful September 2024.