FAI steering group to meet to consider early resumption of football

The FAI have this evening welcomed the speeding up of the Government’s roadmap and will now meet tomorrow morning to discuss their own roadmap for a safe return to sport following suit.

With the latest Government directives now indicating that it is safe for up to 15 people to meet to participate in outdoor sport, the Association will consider putting in place protocols to allow all SSE Airtricity League and Women’s National League clubs resume training from June 15^th.

Derry City, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians are currently due to return to collective training on Monday 8^th June in anticipation of European participation later in the summer.

The FAI also unveiled that their Covid-19 Steering Group will meet on Saturday morning to draw up plans for a return to underage and amateur football taking into considerations the latest Government guidelines. Plans released last month stated that clubs should aim for a July 20^th date for the resumption of training activities.

The latest Government announcement has also given the green light for summer camps to take place this summer and thus the FAI are now hoping to be able to run their Summer Soccer School with dates and venues to be announced in due course.

FAI CEO Gary Owens, speaking after An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s announcement, welcomed the positive news.

“The new measures announced today by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Ministers Shane Ross and Brendan Griffin, are most welcome and positive for football and for all sport in Ireland.

“We thank the Taoiseach, the Ministers and all the staff at the various Government agencies who have worked so hard to get us to this point. Those agencies have offered us great assistance as we move towards a safer return for football for all our players, coaches, match officials, administrators and club volunteers.

“We still have a long road to travel in the battle against COVID-19 but sport has a huge rule to play in Ireland’s recovery and these new guidelines will help get us back on the playing field as soon as it is safe for all our stakeholders.

“We again thank all those working on the frontline for their dedication in the fight against COVID-19 and for their contribution in getting us to a point where we can plan for live sport again.”