Boost for Irish fans as Italy to return more than 1,500 tickets

Irish fans are in line to get a big ticket boost for the European Championship game against Italy in Poznan on June 18.

FAI chief executive John Delaney admitted yesterday the association is awaiting “final confirmation of substantial extra tickets for the Italy game as they have not taken up their full allocation”.

No official figure for the extra allocation for that final group game has been confirmed but it is believed to be in excess of 1,500 tickets, all of which would automatically be offered to Irish supporters who are already on a waiting list having been unsuccessful in their initial application for tickets for the group games.

UEFA yesterday began contacting Irish applicants to notify them of the status of their initial applications. This first contact is based only on the original 6,000 seats allocated for Irish fans in each Group C match. Successful applicants are being advised by UEFA of dates for payment while unsuccessful applicants are being put on a waiting list and will be considered for a ticket allocation when the release of an additional 2,300 tickets — recently secured by the FAI for Irish supporters — commences in the coming weeks.

Despite the extra tickets, demand will continue to exceed supply given there were nearly twice as many applications for the original 18,000 seats earmarked for Irish fans across the three group games. Before the latest extra tickets are counted, the official match by match total for Irish fans attending the Euros currently reads: Ireland v Croatia (6,760), v Spain (6,760) and Italy (6,780). None of these figures are final, however, and, given the latest news, the allocation for the Italian game now looks set to rise significantly.

“We will continue to work closely with UEFA to secure any additional tickets that become available,” said John Delaney.

“UEFA Euro 2012 is generating real excitement throughout the country and while it will not be possible for every fan to attend, we will continue to work hard to secure the maximum number of tickets possible.”

The FAI also point out that, although the Republic of Ireland sales portal on UEFA is now closed, all supporters can still apply for tickets through the UEFA European re-sale portal which redistributes tickets that have been returned.