Belvedere Times

New Stadium Finished

Michael-David McKernan, Co-curricular Editor

The new Aviva Stadium was unveiled to the public mid-May. Construction began on the stadium, which has a capacity for 50,000, in 2007 when the FAI (Football Association of Ireland) and IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) agreed to demolish the old Landsdowne Road stadium which had stood since 1872. The old Landsdowne Road initially hosted only athletic games until it hosted its first rugby match in December 1876. The first football match however was only played there in 1971 when Ireland played Italy in a friendly. Dalymount Park was the FAI's original National Stadium.

The new stadium is Ireland's first, and only, UEFA Elite Stadium and, in 2011 it will host the Europa League Final. The stadium has four tiers, with the lower and upper tiers being for general access, the second tier for premium tickets and the third tier for corporate boxes. The north stand, however, is single tiered due to its proximity to local housing. This stand is expected to be the away stand for soccer internationals. 

International soccer matches will begin as early as August 4th with a League of Ireland XI playing Manchester United F.C. The last time the decorated English club played in Ireland was in 2002 when Roy Keane made his return to Irish soccer after the World Cup, which he controversially stormed out of. That match was also significant for me as I, the Co-curricular editor of the Belvedere Times, was the mascot for the Man Utd team!

Ireland's first rugby international will be on November 6th against South Africa. Games against Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina are also expected to be played in its first few opening months. The first rugby union game at the Aviva will be an exhibition game on 31^st July, involving all four of Ireland's provincial sides, with a Leinster/Ulster side taking on a Munster/Connacht combination. A unique spectacle is promised for that one. The stadium will most likely also host occasional home games for Leinster when the RDS Arena's smaller capacity will not satisfy demand.

The regeneration of Lansdowne Road cost a net figure of €411m, with €191m coming from the taxpayer and the rest split between the FAI and IRFU.  It really is a fantastic looking piece of architecture, with the highlight being the stadium's roof which is designed to undulate in a wave-like manner so as to avoid blocking light to local residences.