Gibraltar’s international team scored their first goal in an international competition against Scotland yesterday. A policeman scored the goal.
Gibraltar is the fifth oldest football association in the world, founded in 1895. They have more than 2,600 registered players, 8 per cent of the national population. There is an artificial surface at the 2,400 capacity Victoria Stadium, which hosts all games in the national league (two divisions plus reserves), plus youth matches and training sessions.
Gibraltar’s international team scored their first goal in an international competition against Scotland yesterday. A policeman scored the goal.
Gibraltar is the fifth oldest football association in the world, founded in 1895. They have more than 2,600 registered players, 8 per cent of the national population. There is an artificial surface at the 2,400 capacity Victoria Stadium, which hosts all games in the national league (two divisions plus reserves), plus youth matches and training sessions.
Last weekend they had to fit in 19 cup quarter-finals between 4.50 p.m. on Friday and Sunday lunchtime, then two second division senior games. There are plans to build a new stadium at Europa Point which would meet Uefa standards, but the planning and building process could take years.
Home internationals are currently played at Faro in the Algarve, but this involves a 15-hour round trip for fans. It would be quicker and no more expensive for them to fly to London, hence consideration is being given to staging matches in the capital.
Their few hundred core fans, even if they were boosted by the curious, might rattle around in one of the larger stadiums in London. However, any ground used would have to meet Uefa standards. A solution might be one of the medium-sized stadiums such as QPR, Crystal Palace, Fulham or Charlton.