Thank you National Lottery players
Irish Football Association and NIFL thank National Lottery Players for their support; A £450k support package from The National Lottery gives lifeline to all NI Football League clubs.
The Irish FA is delighted to announce that all Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) clubs will each receive a share of £450k of financial support as part of a unique partnership with The National Lottery.
The partnership with The National Lottery will benefit all men’s and women’s clubs in the NI Football League. It will provide vital support as clubs are either forced to play without fans or not able to play football at all, owing to COVID-19 restrictions. As a thank you, National Lottery players, who make a difference every time they buy a ticket, will also get a range of benefits – including free tickets once stadia have fully reopened and VIP experiences with the Northern Ireland national side.
The funds will play a key role in ensuring that the clubs can continue to exist and operate during the pandemic. The money will be distributed by the Irish FA to clubs ensuring their continued survival.
Patrick Nelson, Chief Executive Officer for the Irish FA, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, football clubs are able to protect and enhance the crucial work they do serving their communities right across Northern Ireland. We’re delighted to play our role in this brilliant initiative.”
Andrew Johnston, Managing Director of the NI Football League, said, “This funding is a huge boost to our member clubs at a particularly desperate time. We would like to express our sincere thanks to The National Lottery for their support in safeguarding the immediate future of our clubs."
Nigel Railton, Chief Executive of National Lottery operator Camelot, said, “The National Lottery and its players make a massive difference to communities across the UK day in, day out – and have
been doing so for the past 26 years. So we’re really delighted to be working with the Irish Football Association to support these incredibly important clubs in the Northern Ireland Football League, enabling them to continue playing such an important role in their local communities.”
