Mayo FC chairman welcomes 'landmark day' for Irish football

The chairman of Mayo FC has welcomed today’s Budget announcement of an investment in League of Ireland academies that will allow Mayo FC to take on full-time staff.

The Government announced a €3m investment into the FAI to help professionalise 26 LOI academies as part of Budget 2026.

Mayo FC chairman Joe Faughnan welcomed the news and said it was an exciting time to be involved in soccer in Ireland.

“It’s a landmark day for Irish soccer and a special time to be involved. There were just 10 full-time staff in the 26 academies, meaning most had zero before this,” he said.

“We have to wait for the breakdown to see if it will be two full-time staff each, but it is a 100% increase on what we had, so it’s a massive start and something we can really build on.” 

“It will really bring Mayo FC having full-time employees, and it is a really good day for Irish soccer as a whole.” 

Senator Mark Duffy also welcomed today’s announcement and said this could be a real game-changer for Mayo FC.

“This funding is a game changer for a club like Mayo FC, who have done phenomenal work over the past two years. Being able to offer full-time roles to the best coaches in the region will transform their capacity to drive standards and, crucially, it shows that there is a realistic pathway to a career in football here in Mayo.” 

“Mayo has always produced talented footballers, in spite of the lack of resources, but this investment will allow Mayo FC to compete on a level playing field and offer local talent the very best opportunity to fulfil their potential. It’s a hugely exciting project and I’d like to compliment all involved on what has been achieved to date.”