Work set to begin on national velodrome and badminton centre

Nhat Nguyen during the Team Ireland Paris 2024 team training for Badminton at the National Indoor Arena on the Sport Ireland Campus. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Works on the building of a national velodrome and a badminton centre at the Sport Ireland campus in Abbotstown will start in early 2026. 

The structure - which is set to cost between €50m and €100m - will have 12 badminton courts, a 250-meter cycle track, as well as fan seating.

Meanwhile, the construction of a national cricket centre will take place in two stages, starting in 2027.

In accordance with international best practices and the criteria of the International Cricket Council, the centre will give Irish cricket a permanent residence.

The development of a national hockey centre is scheduled to be progressed in 2028.

Also included in the Government release is the plan to continue funding larger-scale projects through the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund and sporting facilities through the Community Sport Facilities Fund.

A new LSSIF fund will open prior to 2030, and a new round of the CSFF will begin prior to that, in 2026.

Minister of State Charlie McConalogue said: “The publication of this Plan is important because it shows our commitment to continued investment in sport facilities across the country through schemes such as the Community Sport Facilities Fund and Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund.

"It also commits to ensuring the completion of major national sports facilities over the next five years including the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre, and the National Cricket Centre."