Pearse Stadium cleared for Rugby World Cup duty
August 10, 2014
Meath take on Galway in Pearse Stadium.
Pearse Stadium is in line to stage games in the 2023 Rugby World Cup if Ireland's bid to host the tournament is successful.
The 30,000-capacity Salthill venue has already received the green light from the IRB (International Rugby Board) to be one of the venues for the event which has the potential to bring 337,000 international rugby fans to Ireland and generate €800 million for the local economy.
The GAA has backed the Irish bid and is prepared to make its top stadia available.
"If Ireland was successful in getting the World Cup in 2023, I personally would be very confident that Galway would be one of the venues," Galway county board secretary John Hynes told the Sentinel.
"We have had ground inspections from the International Rugby Board. They have reviewed the facilities and they examined the pitch and they're more than happy with the venue.
"It meets their criteria to host one or two of the games in the RWC - it's just a matter of when or if Ireland is successful and we get the World Cup.
"Our name would definitely be in the hat. It's not a guarantee we would get them, but the facility here in Pearse Stadium meets the criteria."
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