A planning application has been submitted by Sport Ireland for a new stadium and high-performance centre for Cricket Ireland in Dublin.
BBC Sport said the plans include a floodlit stadium with a seated capacity of 4,240 spectators and a two-storey pavilion, where the sport’s high-performance centre would be located.
A proposal for an extra 7,760 non-permanent seats, which would bring the total capacity up to 12,000 for selected events, has also been put forward.
Dublin (Ireland)-based Cricket Ireland is the national governing body for the sport of cricket in Ireland. It is responsible for setting the strategic direction and the national administration of cricket on the island of Ireland.
Sport Ireland, formerly the Irish Sports Council, is a statutory authority that oversees and partly funds the development of sport within Ireland. It is located at the National Sports Campus in Sheephill near Abbotstown House in Dublin.
The new venue will generate a €93m tourism dividend for Ireland over a five year period.
During the same 2026 to 2030 period, the cricket stadium will generate an additional €29m through ticket sales and operational expenditure during the same period, according to planning documents.
A planning report drawn up by Cunnane Stratton Reynolds for applicants Sport Ireland states that this planning application “will provide Cricket Ireland (CI) with a permanent, world class facility, within the home of Irish Sport“.
Development of a new stadium was granted by the Irish government in August, with the project earmarked for completion in 2028.
In August, Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said the plan would allow Ireland to “host the world’s top teams on an annual basis”, which would include co-hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with England and Scotland in 2030.
The BBC further stated that Cricket Ireland officials are understood to have visited the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand and Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl in Southampton to gain inspiration for the new ground’s design.
The stadium will be based at the Sport Ireland campus in Blanchardstown, which is in the north-west outskirts of Dublin.
The campus already contains the headquarters of the Football Association of Ireland, Irish Rugby’s high performance centre, Aquatics Ireland and is Ireland’s Olympics and Special Olympics hub.
Ireland’s senior men’s and women’s cricket teams currently use grounds in Malahide, Clontarf, Stormont, and Bready for international matches.
Dr Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland, said: “This cutting-edge facility will revolutionise cricket in Ireland.
“It will offer a world-class high-performance centre where our athletes can refine their skills and compete at the highest level, while giving fans an unparalleled live experience of the sport.
“We recognise cricket’s widespread popularity within our multicultural communities, and we’re excited for the centre to become a vibrant hub that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion, and encourages cultural connections.”
An evaluation of the stadium’s economic impact carried out by EY shows that €39.9m would be spent as a result of the 2030 T20 World Cup Cricket tournament.
The EY findings show that based on an average year’s operation, the centre would support 460 jobs per annum in the period 2026 to 2030.
Overall, including the impact of the Cricket World Cup in 2030, the net impact of the centre, would result in 1,555 jobs.
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