Ireland's new cricket stadium in Dublin is progressing well and remains on schedule for the 2030 men's T20 World Cup.
Cricket Ireland’s chief executive Sarah Keane confirmed the new cricket stadium in Abbottstown, Dublin, is on track to be ready for the 2030 men’s T20 World Cup. The venue is primarily funded by the Irish government through Sport Ireland and the Department of Sport.
Keane, along with Sport Ireland leaders Dr Úna May and John Foley, joined Irish politicians for the sod-turning ceremony at the north-west Dublin site on Tuesday. The stadium will feature permanent seating for 4,240 spectators and temporary stands that can expand capacity to 12,000 for major events.
A slight delay has occurred due to final discussions with architects FaulknerBrowns regarding minor design features. Despite this, Keane expressed confidence the project will meet its deadline. She stated, 'It's progressing well. I'm confident that we're on track.' Keane also mentioned a need to revisit plans as circumstances evolve, but added the stadium is at a 'really good stage.'
The construction firm John Sisk has been selected as the preferred tender and will deliver the project in two phases. The first phase includes seating, a high-performance centre, and a pavilion, while the second phase will focus on installing the playing square.
Work on the square will begin in autumn to allow the pitch sufficient time to settle before the tournament. Keane emphasized the importance of the government’s support, noting, 'I'm very grateful for the Department of Sport, Sport Ireland and the government, because I think people have also heard what we've said in terms of deadlines and around grass needing to grow.'
The stadium will be shared with other sports to ensure year-round usage beyond the cricket season. Cricket Ireland will lease the land long-term as the main tenant but will allow other Irish sports organizations to use the outfield when cricket is not in play. The venue is designed to reduce reliance on temporary infrastructure for major events.
The new stadium is viewed as a landmark development for Irish cricket, addressing the high costs associated with temporary setups. Currently, Ireland’s senior men’s and women’s teams play international matches at grounds including Malahide, Clontarf, Stormont, and Bready.
Keane described the stadium as a 'game changer' for Irish cricket, explaining it will revolutionize operations from international to grassroots levels. Cricket Ireland officials visited Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl in Southampton to gather design ideas for the new stadium.
The first international fixtures are informally planned to be a white-ball series against England at the end of summer 2029. Sport Ireland chair John Foley remarked, 'Ireland has produced world-class athletes across many sports. This centre gives cricket the infrastructure to match that ambition.'
Keane believes the dedicated stadium will elevate cricket’s profile in Ireland and attract more teams to play fixtures. She stated, 'I think it will give our cricket community and our high-performance athletes, male and female, a real sense that Ireland believes in them and that they're an important sport here.'
The venue is also expected to provide opportunities to showcase Ireland on the global stage. The upcoming white-ball series against India at Stormont will have a total capacity of around 4,500 spectators. The T20 internationals on June 26 and 28 are sold out, with interest surging due to 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set to debut for India.
Temporary stands will accommodate additional fans for the two T20 matches, though no further capacity expansion is planned at the Civil Service Cricket Club Ground due to structural limitations.
Cricket Ireland remains confident the series against India will proceed as scheduled despite recent rioting in Belfast, which led to the postponement of an inter-provincial T20 series in Lisburn. The organization continues to monitor the situation closely while preparing for the high-profile fixtures.