Colleges thinking big as countdown begins to Collingwood Cup 2016

The Irish Universities Football Union (IUFU) and the Colleges Football Association of Ireland (CFAI) will create a joint third level national team to help raise the profile and standard of college soccer in Ireland.

The long term aim of the project will be to introduce an international competition where Ireland’s new representative side can test themselves on the international stage, according to FAI National co-ordinator Mark Scanlon.

“It came down to the prospect of getting better players, playing at a higher standard and raising the profile of it to get better fixtures as well,” said Scanlon. For the World University Games, where any college player in Ireland is eligible, it makes selection easier.