The NI Football League attended a meeting at Stormont with the All Party Group on Sport & Physical Recreation to outline the reality of the issues that many of our football clubs currently face to outline the serious nature of the current position.

Following the inaugural General Assembly in September, many of the 44 member clubs raised concerns regarding rising energy costs and the cost-of-living crisis impacting on their operations and ability to serve their local communities.

As a result of the concerns the NI Football League established the league’s first ever Sustainability Working Group to consider how clubs can collectively work together and tackle these issues.

The group is currently researching several potential solutions including establishing an Energy Buying Group with the objective of gaining the best price possible for the member clubs.

This alongside the Energy Relief Scheme may offer some small efficiencies and short-term support but the reality is there needs to be a clear longer-term strategy around sustainability

NIFL Chief Operating Officer Steven Mills who attended the Stormont meeting on Tuesday said “With the lack of Sub Regional Stadia Funding still unavailable, our clubs simply can’t afford to do nothing. We strongly feel all forms of assistance needs to be considered for the sustainability of the sector and to avoid clubs having to make tough decisions on when they can open and who gets access to them”.