The news, released in an FAI TV interview with CEO Hill, is another boost just weeks after Dublin City Council and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media confirmed funding to part fund the design and planning element of the Dalymount Park project.

Preliminary design work will begin shortly and when completed, the new Dalymount Park will be home to League of Ireland stalwarts Bohemian FC and Shelbourne and a major addition to the North Dublin sporting landscape.

FAI CEO Hill revealed: “I am delighted to announce that UEFA has allocated a €500,000 investment for the FAI to make in the Dalymount Park project. When we won the EURO 2020 bid in partnership with Dublin City Council and the Government seven years ago a fitting legacy project was key and of course a new Dalymount Park, such an iconic Irish football venue, was the chosen project and a fitting one.

“We will now invest this €500,000 into the project to build a new Dalymount Park and I know this announcement will be welcomed by Bohemians and Shelbourne football clubs, by Dublin City Council and by Ministers Catherine Martin and Jack Chambers and by Government.

“As we enter the centenary year of the FAI this is a great boost to the plans to build a world class facility for football on our of our most inspirational sites in North Dublin. I have shared this news with all involved and we thank UEFA for this very significant support for a milestone project.

“The working relationship with UEFA since Dublin first won the EURO 2020 hosting bid seven years ago has been exemplary and this commitment by them to the Dalymount Park project is indicative of that bond. I look forward to the project commencing.”   

Reacting to the announcement Owen Keegan, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council, said: “I would to thank UEFA for their generosity particularly as the Dalymount Park Redevelopment progresses to the design stage. UEFA’s funding will support the development of the traditional home of Irish Football into a modern municipal stadium which will be a lasting legacy to UEFA EURO 2020 in Dublin.”

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin said: “I am very pleased to see that local clubs and communities can benefit from the work that has gone into EURO2020.”

Minister of State for Sport & The Gaeltacht Jack Chambers remarked: “This is great news for the Dalymount Park redevelopment project and represents a fantastic investment in the League of Ireland and domestic football in this country. This injection builds on the Government funding already received for the project and is a really important step forward for the redevelopment of the ground.”