FAI scores extra income from World Cup campaign matches

The Football Association of Ireland reported a rise in international match income last year as the national team battled its way to the World Cup playoffs.

Newly filed accounts for the FAI show income from international matches rose by €1.6 million to €15.7 million in 2017, a period during which the national side made it to the playoffs after beating Wales in Cardiff but then lost 5-1 against Denmark in the second leg of a playoff at the Aviva Stadium.

The association, which announced top-level revenue figures of €49 million earlier this year, recorded a pretax profit of €5.2 million as against €4.7 million in 2016.

A breakdown of revenues show it recorded a slight rise in commercial income, from €16.6 million to €16.9 million. This included €8.3 million in sponsorship income from sponsors who include Aviva, Three, Diageo, Ford, Spar, Airtricity and Continental Tyres.

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The latest accounts also show deferred income totalled €7.4 million, which includes €3 million in revenues arising from a sponsorship agreement.

Grants and subvention income totalled €6.2 million, down from €9.7 million in 2016, a year in which the figures jumped significantly due to the awarding of a new four-year grant. Among the grants the association received last year was €2.7 million in funding from Sport Ireland.

Income from technical department courses rose from €5.4 million to €6.2 million.

Debts

The FAI, which last week announced Mick McCarthy's return as manager of the national side, said earlier this year that the €70 million in debts it ended up saddled with due to the redevelopment of the Aviva Stadium in 2010, had now dropped to €30 million. Chief executive John Delaney said at that time he was confident the FAI could pay off the total debt by 2020.

The FAI employed 193 people in total at the end of last year, up from 182 a year earlier. Staff costs rose from €11.2 million to €12 million.

The total remuneration package for key personnel was €430,000 last year. This includes Mr Delaney’s €360,000 salary.

The association said it had net assets of €22.4 million at the end of last year, up €2.8 million on the prior year. Overall, it had assets of just over €93.7 million and bank borrowings of €38.2 million. This compares to assets of €95.7 million and borrowings of €39 million a year earlier.

Directors said in a note included with the accounts that it was largely dependent on the income generated by the success of the senior international team by way of sponsorship and revenues from ticket sales and television fees to invest in promoting the sports.

“The association remains committed to securing long term revenue streams including the Uefa TV contract which came in effect in 2014 and currently extends to 2022, Uefa Hatrick programme funding and commercial contracts,” the directors said.