In the past days the Executive has been deliberating over its course of action to ensure that there is an appropriate venue for the current 2030 FIFA World Cup bid, currently involving the five FAs in these isles. In this process, the Executive identified two credible proposals for a venue in Belfast and have now selected its preferred option.

Under FIFA regulations, a venue must have a capacity of 40,000 persons. No venue in Belfast currently meets that standard even though there have been numerous proposals to redevelop various facilities or construct entirely new stadia. This Executive has taken the ambitious decision to work towards the construction of a new multi-purpose stadium in Belfast’s north foreshore site, currently named ‘Giant’s Park’.

This multi-pupose stadium would, subject to agreement by the respective sporting bodies, serve as the home for the three major sports: rugby, football, and GAA. This would have a number of substantial economic, environmental, and social advantages in the view of the Executive:

• As home to each of the major sports, it would be able to be economically viable over time, especially given the ideal and accessible location of the ‘Giant’s Park’ site. Unlike past proposals for a multi-purpose stadium, most famously the case with the abandoned Maze stadium project, the north foreshore site is within Belfast.

• This new stadium would bring investment to a part of north Belfast which will genuinely benefit from such development.

• It would be more environmentally sustainable over time, due to reduced travel emissions. As we aim to build a more sustainable society, the way that we organise mass events ought to be taken into consideration.

• A new stadium would be best-equipped to promote social integration and cross-community acceptance given that existing venues have social connotations associated with them. If we want to make all these sports more accessible to people of all backgrounds, we ought to provide welcoming facilities which foster the concept of shared space.

We have reached out to each sporting body to ensure that there is genuine buy-in from all affected stakeholders. Should Ulster Rugby, the Irish FA, and Ulster GAA all show interest in moving forward with this project we intend to work with Belfast City Council to ensure this is built.

The natural disadvantage of this proposal would be the steep short term costs. However, we believe that the long-term savings from this project would be worthwhile for the public as it means that fewer stadia will require extensive public subsidy in the future. The Executive also recognises that each of the sporting bodies would contribute towards some of the cost as has been the case with past stadium development proposals.

This new stadium would ultimately be the sporting development of a generation and it would provide an unparalleled opportunity to bring people together through sport, while regenerating communities and supporting new jobs. It is an opportunity that should not be passed up.

u/SoSaturnistic - Minister for Communities