GLANMIRE MAKES RECORD BREAKING BID FOR 2028 FIFA WORLD CUP
Well it’s been the worst kept secret in Glanmire for the past few months. What started as alcohol infused murmurs in the Riverstown Inn quickly spread out until the whole town was whispering about it outside mass and at the checkouts in SuperValu. But now, finally, Glanmire News Area can EXCLUSIVELY REVEAL that an official bid to host the 2028 FIFA World Cup in Glanmire has been made.
After Cork was, rightfully, the European Capital of Culture in 2005, many wondered what could be done to put Glanmire in particular on the world stage, and after a some top secret meetings, some very in-depth viability tests and a short survey taken outside the Credit Union to gauge public opinion, the decision was made to put in a bid and we at Glanmire News Area applaud that decision. The bid also breaks the world record for Most Bids Made To Host A World Cup By An Irish Town.
How would it work?
Well Michael, the bid centres around utilising all of the best pitches available in Glanmire. The Group Stage, as well as some latter stage knockout games, would be played at Riverstown Football Club’s current ground on that bit that looks like it’s an island in the Butlerstown River between Glanmire Village and Riverstown Cross. More Group Stage games would take place at Riverstown Football Club’s old training ground near O’Connell Transport in Brooklodge and Riverstown Football Club’s old ground in Knockraha, affectionately known as “Pigeon Hill”, where a second pitch used by Brooklodge FC is also available for simultaneous kick offs.
More high profile Group Games, as well as half the games in the Round of 16, would take place at Glanmire Community College because of its already accessible toilet facilities and changing rooms.
There is, however, one absolutely key element to Glanmire’s bid. So important in fact that the fate of the entire bid rested on it. We are sure that we at Glanmire News Area speak for the entire Glanmire population when we express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the GAA for allowing the use of both The Pike and Sars pitches. Just like Pigeon Hill, The Pike boasts two pristine pitches that would be used as the tournament progresses, including for one of the Semi-Finals and the 3rd / 4th place playoff. It also has the clubhouse that overlooks the main pitch which would be used as the main Media Hub during the tournament with studio setups for a number of high paying TV networks.
But it really is Sars that makes Glanmire’s bid stand out amongst the others. There were some very tense negotiations between the GAA, the Glanmire 2028 Bid representatives and some local older men, about whether or not to use a pitch with such history, but, thankfully, an agreement was made that would see the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the Final itself, take place at Sars provided there is a minute and half long segment each within both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies dedicated entirely to hurling, and Teddy Mac must be the one to hand the winning team the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The astroturf pitch at Sars has also been included in the bid as a failsafe in case of inevitable rain at Pigeon Hill.
Hosting the FIFA World Cup would bring some much appreciated tourism to our town and a solid boost to the Glanmire economy. It is believed that the representatives are so confident in their bid, which will feature a 12 slide PowerPoint presentation (with photos) to the FIFA delegates, that work is already set to start on improving Glanmire’s infrastructure before waiting to hear back from FIFA’s final vote. All of the pitches involved will get a new lick of paint and portable toilets will be acquired which can be moved from one pitchside to another, depending on where the games are being played on a given day.
We wish the representatives from Glanmire all the best when they present their bid to FIFA in the coming weeks.