Gibraltar could host Ireland qualifier in London

The Gibraltar FA is to decide "well before Christmas," whether it will move its three home qualifying games in 2015, including the one against the Republic of Ireland scheduled for September 4th, from the Estadio Algarve in Faro to a London venue. Gibraltar encountered a number of problems with their recent game against Poland on the Algarve.

Gibraltar FA president Desmond Reoch said that deliberations on the matter are "still very much at an embryonic stage" but that a move is being considered as a result, he says, of his association encountering what he describes as a tax problem in Portugal. They also received a significant number of complaints regarding security at the stadium for the match on September 7th.

“We’re considering the situation and we’re hoping to make a decision on it very soon,” said Reoch. “There are a number of tax issues that have come up and then some fans weren’t happy because the security firm we hired were a little overzealous and so long queues formed but no decision has been made yet; we hope to have one well before Christmas.”

Just 2,000 people attended the Poland game which Reoch put down to the timing of the kick-off, a Sunday evening, and the fact that the venue, for which the association pays a substantial rental fee, is a four hour drive from Gibraltar. Expectations are not high with regard to next month’s game against Georgia either but the association is hopeful that the games against Germany, Scotland and Ireland would all attract larger crowds with significant numbers of away fans expected to travel for each.

The association, which must stage its home games abroad while construction of its own new stadium us undertaken, had previously considered staging all of its games in London, however, and the ease of access for opposing supporters combined with the possibility of attracting potentially sympathetic neutrals means that the idea of switching even now retains a considerable appeal.

A small number of Irish supporters are believed to have already booked flights for Faro, something that would be taken into account by Uefa’s competitions committee in the event that a switch is home venue is requested, and the timing of the game makes it an attractive trip for many hoping to plan a holiday around it.

The prospect of Martin O’Neill’s side playing a qualifier in London would most likely prove popular, though, with even friendlies played in the city over the last few years attracting some reasonable crowds. The FAI declined to comment on the possibility of a move.