World Cup 2006 Qualifying: The FAI expects to sell 8,000 tickets for Ireland's World Cup 2006 Group Four qualifier in France, with the association confident demand will comfortably outstrip the 10 per cent of the Stade de France's 80,000 capacity that it is entitled to for the game.
A spokesman for the association said yesterday priority would be given to those who attend home matches regularly to reward them for their support. But given that the bulk of Lansdowne Road's 35,000 seats for competitive games goes to 10-year ticket holders, corporate partners, block bookers or clubs and other affiliates who themselves block book, the association's allocation is still likely to be heavily oversubscribed.
"We have to set aside 10 per cent of our capacity for visiting teams and really all we ever have to sell to the public for competitive games is what comes back from the other association," said the FAI official. "You could say the rest go to regulars and, while we have a couple of commitments for away trips, the intention would be that the people who come to our home games would effectively have first refusal on the tickets before we make any available to anyone else."
A more pressing concern just now, however, for those intending to travel to Paris for the game, which is due to take place on October 9th, will be the availability of flights. Heavy demand in the 24 hours after Ireland's qualifying schedule was announced had, by last night, already pushed the cost of travelling direct with Aer Lingus or Air France to Paris for a two- or three-night trip to in excess of €360.
Ryanair, who had not made any seats available for the dates in question by the time the fixture list was announced, say they will be doing so "over the next couple of days". As of last night, however, the company was unable to indicate at what level fares for the trip to Beauvais would start.
Those supporters hoping to travel to Ireland's other away games will have to wait on the Swiss association's decision on whether to stage September's game between the two countries in Basel again.
Of more significance, however, will be FIFA's decision on whether Israel is allowed to play their home internationals on home soil. The FAI chief executive, Fran Rooney, indicated earlier this week he would have no objection to the Irish being asked to travel to Tel Aviv as long as every team was obliged to do so.
A FIFA spokesman said last month a decision on the matter would probably not be made for several months yet and the organisation need not issue a ruling until 45 days before Israel's first home game (scheduled for September 8th against Cyprus).
The Eircom League, meanwhile, has postponed its a.g.m. for two weeks as a result of concerns it would not be in a position to finalise its fixture list for next season because of the club licensing scheme.
The committee overseeing the scheme is due to deliver its decisions on whether the 22 clubs have been successful at the start of next week and it decided the issue should be resolved before the clubs considered the fixture list for next season. The a.g.m. will take place on February 21st.
Talks between representatives of the clubs and the FAI over the proposed merger of the league and association have continued to progress and club officials will receive a written report next week which will be discussed at a meeting of the clubs on the afternoon of February 18th.
Bohemians have confirmed that the club's pre-season friendly against Nottingham Forest will kick-off at 7.45 p.m. next Tuesday evening. The English first division side are expected to field young Ireland internationals Andy Reid and John Thompson in the Dalymount Park match.
Dundalk will relaunch their Dunfield joint venture with Linfield football club this weekend. The programme, which is aimed at bringing together young footballers from the clubs' two local communities, ground to a halt after initial success due to lack of funds, but grants of just over €300,000 will be announced during the coming days.
