2,000 tickets for Ireland vs Ukraine to be gifted to Ukrainian refugees

FAI announces free allocation as well as €100,000 donation to Irish Red Cross

2,000 Ukrainian refugees will be welcomed to the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
2,000 Ukrainian refugees will be welcomed to the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

2,000 free tickets will be given to Ukrainian refugees for Ireland’s Nations League clash against Ukraine in the Aviva Stadium, the FAI has announced. The governing body will also donate €100,000 from ticket sales for the fixture to the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Ukraine are due to travel to Dublin to take on Stephen Kenny’s side on Wednesday 8th June.

The tickets will be available to recently arrived refugees in the country from Ukraine and will be distributed in liaison with grassroots clubs who have welcomed Ukrainians into their communities.

“Football is only secondary to the current situation in Ukraine and the crisis their people are going through,” says FAI president Gerry McAnaney. “This donation and the allocation of tickets to Ukrainian families now resident in Ireland will, we hope, consolidate our support for the Ukrainian people. I know the Irish people will welcome and support this initiative.”