UKRAINIAN refugees will be gifted 2,000 tickets for Ireland’s UEFA Nations League clash with Ukraine on June 8 at the Aviva Stadium, the FAI announced.
The association has also promised to donate €100,000 from ticket sales to the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis appeal.
In a statement, CEO Jonathan Hill said: “We have continuously offered our support and solidarity with the Ukraine Football Association, their players and supporters since this crisis developed earlier this year and this donation is, we hope, a welcome gesture on behalf of our game, the Ireland supporters and the Irish people.”
FAI President Gerry McAnaney added: “Football is only secondary to the current situation in Ukraine and the crisis their people are going through but this donation and the allocation of tickets to Ukrainian families now resident in Ireland will, we hope, consolidate our support for the Ukrainian people.”
Ireland were originally scheduled to kick-off their Nations League game against Ukraine on June 4.
However, with their World Cup play-off semi-final against Scotland moved to June 1, the game in Dublin was moved to Wednesday, June 8.
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Ireland will instead start their campaign away to Armenia on June 4, followed by the visit of Scotland on June 11.
The Boys in Green are then set to face Ukraine ‘away’ in Poland on June 14, following a request from manager Oleksandr Petrakov.
Ireland’s final games, against Scotland (A) and Armenia (H), will be played on September 25 and 27, respectively.