THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION of Ireland confirmed on Tuesday evening that its attempts to have the Republic of Ireland’s fixture against Andorra played in Barcelona have failed.
The Andorran FA originally requested permission from UEFA to play the match in Spain – following talks with Ireland’s footballing body – “in the interests of accommodating supporters” expected to travel. However, the game will now be played in Estadi Comunal on Friday, October 7th at 9.30pm (local time).
A statement from the FAI “expressed its disappointment at the decision and its lateness”, insisting that it goes against previous “precedents set in the past” when both UEFA and FIFA have given permission for Andorra to play its games in Barcelona.
It added: “The FAI is already exploring the possibility of arranging a fan zone in Barcelona to accommodate fans who had made travel arrangements prior to today’s UEFA decision.”