John Delaney hints Croke Park may be part of World Cup bid

By Liam Mackey

John Delaney has strongly hinted that Croke Park could have a role to play in the bid to host games at the 2030 World Cup.

Speaking in an on-stage interview at Tuesday night’s gala dinner for Liam Miller in Cork City Hall, the FAI CEO said of plans for a joint bid from these islands to stage the tournament in 12 years’ time.

“To be fair, it’s a real thing. The English FA, the Northern Irish FA, the Scottish FA and the Welsh FA approached the FAI to host the World Cup 2030.

“There will be a feasibility study conducted and I think all five parties agree that we will give it a hell of a shot. And I tell you what, it would be absolutely wonderful to have a World Cup here. I think it would be one of the greatest things we would ever achieve.

Soccer in Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a tremendous thing and well done to the GAA there.

“And I think as we went on that journey, we might have to go on another journey as well to have a World Cup in Dublin in couple of stadiums. And that would be really brilliant if it happened.”

In the more immediate future, the FAI boss flagged up the Euro 2020 draw which will take place in Dublin in December and which will be watched live by 140m people.

“The main aim is that we make it three Euros in a row when we host the Euros in Dublin in 2020 and I know Martin and Roy will lead us along that journey for sure,” he said.

“It would be great for our country to be playing two games in Dublin at a Euros with the Irish fans supporting their team at the Aviva Stadium. That would be fantastic.”

Saluting everyone who had been involved in organising what had been an historic soccer match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in honour of Liam Miller, Delaney recalled: “My dad was umpire in 1976 when it was opened, when Cork played Kerry and Cork played Kilkenny in a double-header.

I was thinking about that coming in but more importantly that, in 50 or 100 years’ time, today will always be remembered as a commemoration of Liam Miller.

“Liam Miller’s name united a lot of things today, in sport, in Ireland, and in the world.

“And I think it was very apt that a Corkman, Denis Irwin, scored the very first goal.”