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The Aviva Stadium's facilities were largely praised by UEFA's report. Donall Farmer/INPHO
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UEFA report on Ireland's Euro 2020 bid receives positive overall reception

The FAI has put forward the stadium as one of the potential venues for the event.

Updated at 18.43

A UEFA REPORT released today has been largely positive about Ireland’s Euro 2020 bid, with subsequent international reaction regarding the country’s bid as “one of the best”.

European football’s governing body is in the process of examining bids to stage games during the tournament.

The FAI has put forward the stadium as one of the potential venues for the event, which will, unusually, be divided up among 13 nations across the continent.

UEFA’s executive committee will vote on the host cities on September 19 and it is a largely encouraging assessment of Ireland’s bid, though UEFA express concerns that the stadium “only partly meets UEFA’s requirements in terms of accessibility as it does not offer enough parking spaces at the stadium or close by”.

It also suggests additional facilities would have to be built outside the stadium, while adding: “The technical and telecom requirements are only partly met in terms of domestic and backup power.”

Elsewhere however, the report is positive, praising the “very impressive” hotel capacity of Dublin, while citing the stadium’s “sufficient experience in hosting major events” such as the Europa League final in 2011.

The bid was deemed to have been well received at large, with the Press Association reporting: “Dublin receives one of the best evaluation reports among all 19 bidders.”

An FAI statement in reaction to UEFA’s findings read as follows.

“The Football Association of Ireland and Dublin City Council have welcomed the publication of the UEFA Qualitative Evaluation report on each of the 19 bids received by the confederation for EURO 2020.

“The bidding process put in place by UEFA for EURO 2020 involved a detailed set of assessment parameters for each applicant. The publication of today’s qualitative evaluation is a further step in a very comprehensive and open process that will culminate on September 19 when 13 host cities are selected.

“The strong feedback on Dublin’s technical bid reflects the support received for the joint bidders, the FAI and Dublin City Council, from Government, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Stadium, the DAA, the IHF, CIE Group, Fáilte Ireland, the NTA, NRA and RPA as well as An Garda Síochána.”

Meanwhile, another potential host of Euro 2020, Scotland, could have their bid hampered by the country’s prospective independence.

UEFA’s evaluation report said of the Scottish bid: “Scotland being part of the UK, the legal situation is mostly — but not entirely — identical to that of England and Wales.

“The situation may have to be re-assessed should Scotland become independent of the UK following the referendum.”

The report also criticised the commercial element of the Scotland bid as being “inadequate” and “lacking clarity”.

It said: “The commercial sector of the bid is inadequate, as the information provided lacks clarity. The amount of advertising space offered is vague.”

Additional reporting by AFP

Read the report in full here>

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