National Forum

Croke Park expansion

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Replying To Fionn:  "I wouldn't be so sure about that....

If Croke Park can successfully host an NFL game, then it can host a CL Final."
Based on what ive heard from people working in the stadium...
and i work events and match days there all the time...
the GAA/Croke Park had to put in loads of extra work to allow that NFL game go ahead. theyd need to do similar if not more for a champions league final

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3965 - 12/04/2026 12:08:45    2665863

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Theyre not going to go to Croke Park for a champions league final even with temporary seating on the hill
Unless they put in a lot of work inside the stadium. especially on the public floors of the stadum"
What sort of work would they need to put in ?

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12033 - 12/04/2026 12:37:16    2665868

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Replying To Viking66:  "That would transform O'Moore Park. O'Connor Park also. But would we have enough games to make it financially viable? The cricket grounds in Oz often double up for the AFL also dont they?"
He was working in the UK for the likes of tests at Old Trafford, Headingly and Trent Bridge I think it was.
I don't know the costs involved or whether it is financially a runner but it would be worth investigating.
A Leinster Final is lost in Croke Park, that is undeniable. But Leinster GAA lacks an alternative. It is farcical that Munster has Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Thurles, Gaelic Grounds all over 40k and thinking about redeveloping Killarney, while Leinster counties have Croke Park and a host of 20-25k grounds and nothing in the middle? Was St. Conleth's redevelopment a missed opportunity for the province?

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1989 - 14/04/2026 15:09:49    2666399

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "He was working in the UK for the likes of tests at Old Trafford, Headingly and Trent Bridge I think it was.
I don't know the costs involved or whether it is financially a runner but it would be worth investigating.
A Leinster Final is lost in Croke Park, that is undeniable. But Leinster GAA lacks an alternative. It is farcical that Munster has Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Thurles, Gaelic Grounds all over 40k and thinking about redeveloping Killarney, while Leinster counties have Croke Park and a host of 20-25k grounds and nothing in the middle? Was St. Conleth's redevelopment a missed opportunity for the province?"
As many of us will see on Saturday, St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge is bang in the middle of town, with no room to go in any direction for any major expansion. Haven't actually been it since its redevelopment of a couple of years ago, but am told it's a nice "tidy" ground with room for about 15,000.

As for the Munster venues you mention (and bearing in mind that Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney still holds about 38,000 people) - there's another school of thought that says it's farcical that Munster has so many grounds in or around 40,000 capacity, when the vast majority of matches in them have crowds that are only a fraction of that size.

And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3478 - 14/04/2026 17:01:51    2666424

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "As many of us will see on Saturday, St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge is bang in the middle of town, with no room to go in any direction for any major expansion. Haven't actually been it since its redevelopment of a couple of years ago, but am told it's a nice "tidy" ground with room for about 15,000.

As for the Munster venues you mention (and bearing in mind that Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney still holds about 38,000 people) - there's another school of thought that says it's farcical that Munster has so many grounds in or around 40,000 capacity, when the vast majority of matches in them have crowds that are only a fraction of that size.

And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?"
Its a nice ground with a modern stand. Probably could put seats on the other 3 sides if you wanted.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19222 - 14/04/2026 18:49:27    2666444

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"And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?
Pikeman96"

We need 1 in the province, not 3-4 of them. The problem at the moment is Leinster as Storeytash says, we have many 20k but nothing then for that slightly bigger game.

The weakness in the argument is that say Nowlan Park was the place, most Leinster hurling final would be on their home patch. No county would agree to that. But get one venue upgraded and then worry about what next.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1606 - 15/04/2026 09:15:33    2666489

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A stadium done right is in investment for 30-40-50 years as long as its maintained.
Leinster doesn't need a Pairc Ui Chaoimh white elephant, just a mid-sized venue to host most of the bigger matches.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given it could attract neutral fixtures as well as being close to a few motorways, trains, buses and its slap bang in the middle of the country.
I know there are no neutral fixtures in football but in 5 years there could be, and it could hold U20/minor finals annually.
I don't think Kilkenny would work, I think logistically if Galway play Kilkenny in a Leinster Final they won't play it in Kilkenny. Unless they tossed for home/away.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1989 - 15/04/2026 11:39:33    2666527

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  ""And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?
Pikeman96"

We need 1 in the province, not 3-4 of them. The problem at the moment is Leinster as Storeytash says, we have many 20k but nothing then for that slightly bigger game.

The weakness in the argument is that say Nowlan Park was the place, most Leinster hurling final would be on their home patch. No county would agree to that. But get one venue upgraded and then worry about what next."
The reality is that any upgrade of a stadium or stadiums in Leinster, that would hold c40k would be beyond the reach of the financial resources of the GAA. It would also be madness to consider a stadium of this size without a proper business case to fully utilise it, meaning that corporate / concerts / other sports would need to be catered for. The GAA got stung for POC by letting a county board go off & build a stadium and were left carrying the can. That's not going to happen again.

In reality, Dublin does need a municipal stadium, possibly on the south side & one that has decent transport links etc. If it's ever going to happen it will likely be on Dublin GAA land at the Spawell but given the FAI hasn't a pot to **** in, it's unlikely to happen in the near future. Maybe if Parnell Park could be sold for a good price that might change but if the whole thing it to make financial sense, it has to be for all sports with financial input from all 3 (GAA, IRFU & FAI) & Government.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1963 - 15/04/2026 11:41:54    2666528

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Replying To Square_B:  "I hope she does get her day out, but Eddie Hearn has learned very quickly that he won't browbeat the GAA. He'll have to pay up the going rate like everyone else."
https://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2026/0415/1568341-taylors-promoters-set-for-croke-park-talks-on-friday/

Hopefully getting closer.....

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4875 - 15/04/2026 11:51:04    2666530

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@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash - My point is that it's Leinster that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.

And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.

If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3478 - 15/04/2026 12:10:08    2666535

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Replying To yew_tree:  "What sort of work would they need to put in ?"
Ive just seen reports in papers that croker would need revamp and tbf its showing its age. and its nearly 30 years since it was done up
think media and vip/corporate upgrades would be needed to be improved to host a champions league final

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3965 - 15/04/2026 17:18:45    2666608

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "A stadium done right is in investment for 30-40-50 years as long as its maintained.
Leinster doesn't need a Pairc Ui Chaoimh white elephant, just a mid-sized venue to host most of the bigger matches.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given it could attract neutral fixtures as well as being close to a few motorways, trains, buses and its slap bang in the middle of the country.
I know there are no neutral fixtures in football but in 5 years there could be, and it could hold U20/minor finals annually.
I don't think Kilkenny would work, I think logistically if Galway play Kilkenny in a Leinster Final they won't play it in Kilkenny. Unless they tossed for home/away."
Kilkenny would work and a stadium there would be very likely to get the necessary M+E that stadiums rely on to make profit and dont think a non neutral leinster final venue would be necessarily a problem

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3965 - 15/04/2026 17:21:14    2666609

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Ive just seen reports in papers that croker would need revamp and tbf its showing its age. and its nearly 30 years since it was done up
think media and vip/corporate upgrades would be needed to be improved to host a champions league final"
Already being looked at... from 2023 (https://www.gaa.ie/news/cusack-stand-redevelopment-work-under-way). This was part of a wider plan to spend up to 70mil on refurbishment works however it's not clear when the next phase will go ahead. Croke Park would be well fit to hold a Champions League final with minimal investment, in fairness it was being considered for Euro 2028 before being ruled out as there was concerns about being able to fill it for group games.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1963 - 15/04/2026 19:34:46    2666636

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