FAI signs €10m sponsorship deal

Irish football has received a massive financial boost today with the news that the FAI has agreed a deal worth €10m over the next six years with kit suppliers Umbro.

The deal, which could rise to €13m, is worth more than double per year than the old deal with Umbro.

The deal is broken down into a minimum of €1m cash per year with the rest made up of supplied kit for the expected 700 internationals that Ireland will play at all levels between now and 2010.

On top of that, €450,000 will be ploughed into the Kennedy Cup - one of the biggest underage competitions in Europe.

The FAI has already insisted that €500,000 will be put towards the much heralded Technical Development Plan while a further €200,000 will be spent on underage internationals, effectively meaning an extra 10 underage internationals during the 2005/06 season.