IFA submit planning application for National Football Centre

The Irish FA has formally submitted a full planning application to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for the development of its National Football Centre in Galgorm, near Ballymena.

Located on a 50-acre site outside Cullybackey, the new facility is set to include world-class pitches and cutting-edge training facilities.

Previously, the governing body indicated that they expected to open the facility in 2028.

In a statement released on Monday, the IFA say they hope "the landmark project will inspire the next generation of footballers and provide a platform for excellence at every level of the game".

They add that their ambition is that the training centre will become "the beating heart of Northern Ireland's football community, supporting both elite and grassroots players, as well as some of the charitable and community activities of the Irish FA Foundation".

The submission of the planning application followed on from the previous stages of the process, which included the launch of the long-awaited project last year, the submission of the Proposal of Application Notice to the Council and the subsequent pre application community consultation.

The association explains that as well as providing training facilities for the top level of the game, including international teams, the wider football community will also benefit from the plans.

"As well as serving the elite game, there is an inclusion of a community pitch as part of the development which will help address the growing demand for pitch capacity in the wider area," the statement from the IFA explained.

"We remain one of a small number of UEFA nations without its own national football centre," said Irish FA Technical Director Aaron Hughes.

"This facility will give us somewhere we can call home, which allows us to raise standards, build our culture, and showcase our identity. It will give young boys and girls the opportunity to literally follow in the footsteps of their heroes, as they aspire to one day wear the green shirt.

"And, crucially, it will give our national teams', senior to underage, men's, women's, boys, and girls, an elite facility to train, prepare and compete on the European and world stage."