Derry City FC secures stadium lease for funding

Derry City FC has received approval for a proposal to secure a long-term lease of their home ground, the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. This lease will allow the club to apply for funding from the Northern Ireland Football Fund with a lower match-funding requirement. Previously, the council would have needed to match 40% of project costs for funding, but under the new lease, Derry City would only need to match 5%. The estimated cost for planned stadium improvements is around £11.8 million. The proposal will be presented to the full council later. Changes to a century-old law are required for the club to take on the lease, as current regulations limit the council's ability to lease the stadium for more than 12 months.