Complete a Nationwide facilities audit to quantify existing infrastructure covering all aspects and levels of the game.
OUR MISSION
AND STRATEGIC
PILLARS
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 1
TRANSFORMING FOOTBALL FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
We will provide high-quality, safe, accessible and welcoming facilities for all who want to play, attend or otherwise participate in our sport.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Work with central and local government to co-create and co-fund a long-term investment strategy so football has the right infrastructure to meet demand.
Educate Affiliates, Leagues and clubs to better understand the funding opportunities available and application processes.
Support Affiliates, Leagues and clubs - in particular, Club Mark holders to develop local master plans for infrastructure development and improvements.
In partnership with local authorities audit and address our clubs’ community requirements for full-size artificial and natural turf pitches throughout every county.
Work with central government, UEFA and FIFA to fund the development of the academy and training ground infrastructure of our LOI clubs to further develop young Irish talent.
Enhance the focus on the development of a new, modern, sustainable FAI HQ together with Sport Ireland, to ensure the FAI offices and National Training Centre have the necessary facilities for growth.
Together with central and local government, review the funding of the ongoing development and upgrade of LOI stadia enhancing the match-day experience and setting the foundations for an improved LOI brand offering.
Ensure that our owned assets, such as the Aviva Stadium, are modernised, maintained to the highest standards and utilised to their full potential, whilst upholding high standards of sustainability with particular focus on our carbon reduction planning.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Nationwide Facilities audit
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Audit to be completed by the end of 2022
LOI Infrastructure Plan
Produce an LOI Infrastructure Plan encompassing stadia, training grounds and academies with needs analysis agreed and costed to secure necessary investment.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Infrastructure Plan to be developed by the end of 2022
Implementation to commence from 2023
Facilities Development and Investment Strategy
Deliver and implement a long-term Facilities Development and Investment strategy in partnership with government and Sport Ireland to provide appropriate, strategically-located facilities.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Engagement with stakeholders to commence in 2022
Strategy to be developed in 2023 following Nationwide audit
National and Regional Centres of Excellence
Review the appropriate infrastructure for player development on an ongoing basis, including Regional Centres of Excellence and the potential for a National Centre according to need and affordability.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Broader football development infrastructure review process to start from 2022, under the guidance of the Director of Football
Grassroots Football guidelines
Publish nationwide Grassroots football guidelines for all playing facilities across our eight regions.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Criteria to be agreed in 2022
Implemented by 2025
Facilities and Infrastructure manuals
Update our Facilities and Infrastructure manuals to reflect modern, best-in-class standards of safety, accessibility and sustainability.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Manuals to be developed in 2023
Implemented by 2024
Funding
Engage with the Irish football community to deliver an increase in Sports Capital and Equipment Programme submissions.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Deliver increased volume of workshops and educational materials to Affiliates, Leagues and clubs annually
15% increase per funding round
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 2
DRIVING GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL AS THE HEART OF THE GAME
We will continue to develop football as the most popular sport in Ireland by harnessing the powerful role clubs play within their communities.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Work collaboratively with Affiliates, Leagues and clubs to attract, develop and retain players, coaches, referees and volunteers.
Work hand in hand with the education sector to provide our teachers and students with the tools to play, enjoy and learn through football.
Pro-actively expand our Club Mark programme to support the sustainable development and growth of the game.
In partnership with colleges and universities enhance the offering of third-level football to students and utilise existing facilities to benefit all areas of the game.
Digitally transform the administration of football and have direct, effective communication with players, parents, coaches, volunteers, referees and administrators.
Make provision for those who want to play recreational football where, when and how they want to.
Change the culture in our game to ensure everyone understands and respects the integral role of our referees. No Ref. No Game.
Develop and deliver annual education workshops and initiatives across our Affiliate, League and club network.
Commit to raising standards within Grassroots and recreational football as part of a long-term Facilities Development and Investment strategy.
Promote Football For All, increasing the opportunities for players with additional needs to play the game.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Participation
Grow the number of registered football players on the FAI player registration system (FAInet).
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
300,000 registered players by the end of 2025
An increase of 28,500 male players and 50,000 female players by the end of 2025
Referees
Double the number of qualified referees and achieve a retention rate of 50% per annum.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
3,000 qualified referees by the end of 2025
50% retention rate in qualified referees 12 months following course completion year on year
Club Mark
Expand our Club Mark programme outreach to ensure all clubs are engaged in the programme enabling the delivery of:
- A definitive measurement of members (playing and non-playing) within our clubs
- Development and implementation of minimum affiliation criteria in line with the common governance framework
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1,186 clubs registered for Club Mark by the end of 2025
30 new Entry Level clubs per annum
20 new One Star clubs per annum
8 Two Star clubs per annum from 2023
Volunteers
Deliver a Volunteer recruitment campaign and subsequent volunteer education workshops nationwide with specific focus on increasing the level of female administrators.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Volunteer recruitment campaign to commence in 2022
Growth and retention targets to be formulated in 2023 via new FAInet
Schools football
Increase our reach within the education system to deliver record numbers of Primary and Secondary schools engaged in FAI programmes.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
50% increase in number of active participants engaged in schools programmes by the end of 2025
75% of Primary schools nationwide engaged in FAI programmes by the end of 2025
50% of Secondary schools nationwide engaged in FAI programmes by the end of 2025
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 3
NURTURING FOOTBALL PATHWAYS FOR ALL
We will enable every player, coach, referee and volunteer regardless of age, ability or gender, the opportunity to reach their full potential and enjoy football in a safe and supportive environment.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Consult with all Affiliates, Leagues, clubs and players to create a comprehensive football pyramid aligning all areas of the game.
Align our Coach Education delivery within existing grassroots football club structures.
Develop a clearly-defined, seamless player pathway that is understood across the whole of the game, recognising the different development needs and aspirations of players and one that also takes into account the non-linear nature of player development.
Grow the volume of educational opportunities available to our volunteers and administrators that supports their progression and recognises their integral role in the game.
Continue to develop our Coach Education pathway to increase participation, development and retention of coaches at every level of the game.
Enhance the existing referee education pathway resulting in more qualified officials operating at every level of the game.
Increase the number of qualified coaches at all levels with a particular focus on female and age-specific coaches.
Support the development and growth of recreational football and other formats of the game.
Maximise the number of opportunities available to our players, through existing ETB and Transition Year programmes, to partake in full-time football while fulfilling their education requirements.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Football structures
Support the establishment of a pyramid structure and aligned player development pathways across Irish football.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Commence consultation by Q4, 2022
Agreed and transformed football pyramid structure in place across all Irish football by 2025
Football and Player Development Plan
Deliver a refined football and player development plan following extensive review and consultation with our stakeholders
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Commence consultation by Q4, 2022
Embedded and agreed football and player development plan to be published in 2023
Coach Education
Introduce individual age and level specific qualified coaches for every team nationwide.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Baseline to be measured in 2023 via new FAInet data
Referee pathway
Grow our panel of National League Match Officials, whilst ensuring we have the required number of dedicated officials across all levels of the game.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Growth and retention targets to be formulated in 2022
Player Passport and ID system
Create a Player Passport and ID system that tracks and records the status and progress of all players.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
To be delivered as part of new FAInet platform from 2023
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 4
DEVELOPING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF FOOTBALL FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS
We will inspire women and girls of all ages and backgrounds to participate in football, growing the game on and off the pitch to support players and leaders in realising their full potential.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Develop and deliver innovative introductory programmes in clubs and schools to ensure every girl has the chance to play, learn and enjoy our game.
Promote gender balance and provide opportunities for women at all levels of the game – the General Assembly, Board, Committees, staff and among Affiliates, Leagues and clubs.
Retain and develop young female players through the creation of innovative and thriving competition structures.
Build on the momentum of our historical equal pay agreement and make an organisational commitment to promoting our world class coaching team and players as an inspiration to young girls across Ireland.
Identify, develop and promote our most talented female players and coaches through targeted player identification and coach education programmes.
Increase the profile of the women’s game by developing bespoke marketing activities centered around our players and targeting a new generation of fans.
Attract and retain women and girls of all ages and abilities to play by providing a fun and inclusive experience in clubs, schools and through new recreational activity.
Invest in and maximise media, commercial and brand partner opportunities, promoting all levels of the women’s game from grassroots to Women’s National League and the Women’s National team.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Women and Girls Football Development Plan
Develop, launch and implement a dedicated Women and Girls Football Development Plan 2022 – 2025.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Delivered in 2022
Specific targets to be agreed as part of plan to 2025
Introductory programmes
Grow participation at introductory age levels through the Disney Playmakers programme increasing the volume of programmes per annum to 2024.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
60 programmes delivered in 2022
120 programmes delivered in 2023
240 programmes delivered in 2024
Clubs
Support growth of the female game through more clubs offering Women and Girls football within their communities.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
750 clubs nationwide offering Women and Girls football by 2025
Female coaches
Increase the number of female UEFA coaching licence holders, identifying them and supporting their progress through the Coach Education pathway.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
300 female UEFA licence holders by 2025 in line with the FAI Coach Education Strategy
Women in Leadership
Develop further opportunities for female staff and volunteers, with a specific focus on increasing the level of female administrators within the game through new and existing programmes.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Volunteer recruitment campaign to commence in 2022
40% female representation across FAI Board, General Assembly and Committees by the end of 2023
40 graduates from the UEFA/FAI Women in Leadership programme in 2022
60 graduates from the UEFA/FAI Women in Leadership programme per annum by end of 2025
Promotion
Deliver bespoke marketing activities centered around players and maximise opportunities with broadcast and commercial partners.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Minimum 75% attendance at all WNT fixtures
Peak TV audience on RTÉ to exceed 750,000 for a Women’s National team fixture
Peak TV audience to exceed 50,000 viewers for a Women’s National League fixture via respective broadcaster
100% growth in the number of fans following Women’s football across our social media platforms
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 5
FRAMING THE FUTURE OF OUR LEAGUE OF IRELAND
We will facilitate investment into the men’s and women’s League of Ireland in consultation with the clubs and players to deliver a sustainable, well-structured league that serves the needs of communities and football in every region, creating a unique and quality experience for players and fans.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Be radical, innovative and open in our approach to growing and developing both men’s and women’s League of Ireland football.
Further develop the existing LOI Academy structure to offer our most promising young players increased levels of support on their football and education journeys, working closely and collaboratively with clubs in their catchment areas.
Plan and support the transformation of League of Ireland club facilities (stadia, training grounds and Academies) in partnership with all key stakeholders, in particular central and local Government and our clubs and players.
Encourage and enable League of Ireland clubs to play a more active role in community development by promoting cooperation with wider community stakeholders and fans, driving public and private investment in club-led social programmes for the good of the clubs and their communities.
Market a new League of Ireland brand to target a bigger, even more diverse and engaged audience, maximising opportunities across all commercial activities.
Collaborate pro-actively with clubs and fans to recognise and sustain the vibrant supporter culture within the League of Ireland.
Work with clubs to create a talented, engaged, skilled and experienced full-time workforce in both business and football positions, including players, as we work towards creating a full-time football industry.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Competition structures
Work with our clubs to develop additional tiers in the Men’s and Women’s National Leagues.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Men’s third-tier by 2023
Women’s second-tier by end of 2025
LOI Infrastructure Plan
Produce an LOI Infrastructure Plan encompassing stadia, training grounds and academies with needs analysis agreed and costed to secure necessary investment.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Infrastructure Plan to be developed by the end of 2022
Implementation to commence from 2023
UEFA coefficient
Support LOI clubs to be competitive in all UEFA competitions.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Top 30 UEFA league co-efficient position for the LOI by the end of 2025
Brand Identity
Create a new brand identity for the LOI by 2023, with Men’s, Women’s and Underage League of Ireland football represented under one umbrella.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Identity developed by end of Q3, 2022
Launched ahead of 2023 season
Attendances
Increase average attendances at domestic League and Cup matches in the LOI.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Aviva Stadium sold out for the Men’s FAI Cup Final by 2025
Tallaght Stadium sold out for the Women’s FAI Cup Final by 2025
Full-time industry
Support the development of LOI Clubs and Academies to increase the number of full-time staff.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Full-time staff targets to be agreed as part of ongoing development discussions
Academy certification system introduced within the League of Ireland by 2023
Football in the community
Collaborate with LOI clubs to continue to develop Football Social Responsibility (FSR) strategies.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
All clubs to have FSR Strategies in place by 2023
Programmes and initiatives rolled out from 2024
OUR MISSION - STRATEGIC PILLAR 6
BUILDING FOR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
To produce competitive international teams at all levels to qualify for tournaments on a regular basis.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Between 2022 and 2025 we will:
Be consistently competitive at all age levels and deliver success in each qualification phase/tournament we participate in.
Drive forward our Talent ID and scouting operations, both within Ireland and abroad, ensuring we identify all qualified players to have the best possible international teams.
Build strong and transparent relationships through our International Managers and High-Performance coaches with Grassroots and LOI club staff and volunteers to improve player development.
Develop our ongoing relationship with coaches and technical staff across the global football community to support and guide all of our international teams.
Commit to delivering the optimum level of on-field contact and playing time for our international players in a post Brexit environment.
Revitalise the relationship and connection between our fans (in Ireland and abroad), our international players and the Association, driving our #WeAreOne philosophy ensuring supporter engagement is at the core of what we do.
Provide the highest standards of facilities, medical, performance analysis, logistical, operational and administrative support to each of our core international teams and continue to support affiliate teams through advice and guidance.
Utilise best-practice research capabilities to optimise player development and performance of our International teams, led by our Director of Football.
HOW WE WILL MEASURE OUR PROGRESS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO:
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
International targets
Be consistently competitive at all age levels and deliver success in each qualification phase/tournament we participate in.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
UEFA EURO 2024 qualification
Qualification for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and/or UEFA Women’s EURO 2025
Qualification for a minimum of two final tournaments per competition cycle at competitive underage level.
Consistent top 20 European ranking within the FIFA rankings for each of our Senior International teams.
Consistent top 20 UEFA ranking for all of our competitive underage International teams.
International activity
Deliver increased on-field contact and playing time for our international players, while being cognisant of financial constraints.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Successful delivery of a calendar of international activity each year including selection days, training camps, friendlies, competitive matches and tournaments
Geographical spread
Increase the geographical spread of our home underage International fixtures, where feasible.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
20% minimum average of underage international fixtures spread geographically across Ireland per annum to 2025.
Supporter engagement
Appoint a Supporters Liaison Officer/function to build on the relationship between supporters, League of Ireland clubs, International teams and the Association.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Dedicated resources in place by 2023
Increase our engagement with supporters improving year on year on relevant metrics