Ireland's clash with Ukraine may be moved to neutral country

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill admits he won’t be surprised if Uefa decide to move Ireland’s trip to Ukraine on June 14 from Kiev to a neutral country.

With the nation under growing threat of invasion by neighbours Russia, Ukraine has been declared off-limits for Irish citizens.

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Saturday strongly advised Irish nationals not to travel and those based there to leave immediately.

The last of Ireland’s June quadruple Uefa Nations League header is scheduled to be a trip to Ukraine but, even though the game has been switched from Kiev, the escalating tensions will probably require it to be moved entirely out of the country.

In 2008, Uefa applied a no-risk policy over the political instability between Russia and Georgia by switching Ireland’s opening World Cup qualifier from Tbilisi to Mainz in Germany.

Both of Ukraine’s World Cup play-off matches in March, the semi-final against Scotland and potential final against either Austria or Wales, were already drawn away, meaning their next home fixtures are the June visits of Armenia and Ireland.

Asked during a virtual meeting by Assembly members about the FAI devising a contingency plan, Hill confirmed Uefa will make the call.

“First of all, the Ukrainian FA is looking to host the game in Lviv, away from the capital which makes sense as it's closer to the border to be where we are,” he said.

“Everyone is watching the situation closely. We’ll be advised by our own Government and Uefa in relation to what is safest.

“Some games took place in neutral venues on a regular basis throughout the pandemic so it would not be anything dramatically different if Uefa felt this should take place in a neutral venue.”

Meanwhile, the FAI is projecting to record a surplus of €1.7m on €44.5m of income for 2022 based on a number of assumptions.

That includes €5m of deferred income of Covid-19 resilience funding from the 2021 period.

Additionally, the estimate assumes no further pandemic-related financial support, legislating for no restrictions on crowds during 2022.

The friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania on March 26 and 29 respectively are two of the six home matches lined up at Aviva Stadium in Dublin over the year.

There are the three Nations League qualifiers, against Ukraine on June 4, Scotland a week later and concluding against Armenia on September 26, with another friendly pencilled in for the November window.

Only one of the half dozen – the Centenary game against the world’s top side Belgium – is deemed a "gold" fixture under a grading system, with two matches categorised as "silver" and three "bronze".

Yearly tickets start at €120 per adult up to €290 in the lower west and east stand. A family ticket for two adults and two children in category B areas (west & east stand upper or south stand lower and upper) is priced at €400. Discounted rates, under the early bird offer, end on Wednesday.

Stephen Kenny will remain as manager for the 2022 series, extending his contract beyond the current deal’s expiration of July.

Hill, upon being mandated by his board in November, offered Kenny the renewal but finalising elements, such as a preordained severance figure in the event of the FAI sack him midstream, is delaying the announcement.

“Accordingly, we can expect some good news reasonably quickly,” confirmed the chief executive.