League of Ireland Attendance hits all time high as fans call out for better facilities
2025 saw record attendance in the League of Ireland Premier men’s Division, with a
total attendance of 680,117, an increase of 8.3% on the previous year according to the
league. For many clubs this increase in attention to the league has been welcomed, but
has also raised questions about the capacity and facilities of the stadiums.
While the demand for the league is at an all-time high, fans have voiced their concerns
over the stadiums’ conditions in the league regarding capacity and facilities.
Fergal Bailey is a Bohemian FC supporter who believes that Dalymount Park is overdue
an upgrade. “In recent years there has definitely been an increase in fans going to
games.”
“I think that Dalymount Park is well overdue an upgrade; I mean the demand is definitely there.”
“I know that there is a plan in place to add more to it, but it was proposed 10 years ago, and there’s been nothing done yet.”
The stadium was bought by the Dublin City Council in 2015 for €3.5 million with a €20
million redevelopment plan. Since then, the costs have risen to €63.75 million and the
redevelopment is planned to be completed by 2029.
The proposed redevelopment will see the stadium upgraded to a UEFA category 3 with a
capacity of 8,000.
Attendance at the matches has seen a significant increase of 129.8% since 2016, with
an average attendance of 3,778 in 2025. Bohemian FC had the second highest average
attendance of 5,996. This includes their league opener against Shamrock Rovers in the
Aviva Stadium, which saw a record attendance of 33,000. This increase in attendance
has led to an increased demand for higher capacity stadiums.
Former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny commented on the stadium
problem in the build-up to St Patrick’s Athletic Fc’s League of Ireland opener against
Bohemian FC in the Aviva Stadium in February, saying, “But the opportunity to
come when you think of the games in Tolka last year and Dalymount and Richmond,
people couldn’t get into Dublin derbies. There were hardly any tickets for the games”.
“It’s great that people get to go, because if someone brings their children to a game and
they arrive up, which I have seen, and get turned away, you are not inclined to come
back”.
Only 3 Premier Division clubs out of 10 have active plans for redevelopment of their
stadiums with Derry City, Sligo Rovers and Bohemian FC. Shelbourne FC experienced a
capacity increase early in April as the Drumcondra end stand reopened in Tolka Park
after it was closed in 2019 due to structural issues with the roof.
While the outdated stadiums have proven to be a problem for attendance by fans, it has
also caused problems for the clubs, as many of the stadiums fail to meet UEFA’s criteria
for games with European fixtures having to be played in Tallaght Stadium and the Aviva
stadium. This has led to a loss in revenue for clubs at their home grounds. While improved
stadiums are needed, the funding has to come from somewhere.
There has been an increase in viewership of the men’s Premier Division with the league
reporting a 42% increase in TV viewership in 2024 compared to the previous year.
However, the League of Ireland in total ranks 33rd out of 55 member nations for total
revenue at €38 million in 2024. This is according to UEFA’s latest annual survey of the
finances of European football based on the 23/24 season.
Despite the increase in TV viewership, League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon has said
that the league loses around €1 million each year due to illegal streaming of the games.
“We have always estimated that about 50% of the people who are
watching are watching illegally.”
In comparison to other sports in Ireland, League of Ireland funding has been minor. The
GAA have consistently received major funding, including €97 million from the
Community Sport Faculty. The GAA can rely on revenue also, bringing in €142 million in
2025. In 2023, only one League of Ireland Premier Division club made a profit, which was
Galway United FC.
stadium development with the stadium to host a capacity of 6,000 after completion of
the first phase. This will cost up to €24 million, a stark difference in cost compared to
Dalymount Park’s redevelopment of €63.75 million despite the two stadiums having a similar
redevelopment.
While the league has experienced a significant increase in viewership and attendance
at matches, many fans still believe that it truly cannot progress without the proper
infrastructure, with Conor Sullivan, who is a supporter of Galway United FC, saying, “It’s
great that more people are getting more interested in the league, but it can’t reach that
next level without proper facilities.”
“I guarantee you if United (Galway United) had a capacity of 8,000 it would fill or at least
almost fill up.”
With more people going to League of Ireland games, the general opinion around football
fans in Ireland is that more attention to the league is needed.