Football Association of Ireland

Setting the stage for Irish football

Setting the stage for Irish football

Introduction

Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is the governing body of association football in Ireland, formed in 1921. In 2023, led by Katie McCabe and a group of Women's Super League stars, Ireland competed in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals in Australia and New Zealand. Looking to inspire the next generation of girls in football, never has it been more exciting to be a part of Irish football. 

CLIENT

Football Association of Ireland

INDUSTRY

Sport

SERVICES

Digital product, UX/UI

VISIT

The Brief

Limegreentangerine were appointed to design and develop a new FAI website to create change and inspiration within the landscape of Irish football. 


The brief was to combine the domestic and international sites into a single stand-alone websites. A user-friendly website that is easy to navigate, keeping new and existing customers engaged in a simple yet insightful way so they can find the content they need quickly and easily. 

ireland fans
goal!
fans

APPROACH

Having travelled to Dublin we embarked on an insightful UX workshop session with internal stakeholders within the FAI to understand the Who and Why of the project. From sessions with each of the stakeholder departments we gained an understanding of their target audience and how each area of the FAI plays a significant part in increasing participation of Irish football.

Throughout the discovery phase we learned what the key users tasks and aspirations were and what challenges they faced when using the current site.

By understanding user needs and challenges we were able to define an alternative product and service hierarchy ensuring the content was better organised and easier for find.

Understanding the who and why

To boost visits to the website, we adopted a user-centric approach that focused on enhancing the overall user experience. We implemented a streamlined navigation system, simplifying the user journey to ensure visitors could quickly find what they needed. Recognising the diverse audience in Ireland — including coaches, players, and volunteers — we created three dedicated home landing pages, each tailored to provide relevant information and resources for these different user groups. This personalised experience provided a fairer way of delivering relevant content to visitors.

Bespoke match centre

The new website houses stat-driven content to enhance user engagement and retention. Utilising Stats Perform’s Opta API we developed a bespoke match centre that showcases match fixtures, results, and tables. This area provides real-time updates and comprehensive player information, keeping fans invested no matter where they were. Users  can view live line-ups, match day news, and in-depth statistics, fostering a deeper connection with the game. In addition, the platform provides the Football Association of Ireland a dedicated space to advertise, creating new opportunities for engagement with both partners and fans.

Player pages

Leveraging Opta data, we created dynamic player pages that feature career-defining statistics, enabling fans to follow their favourite players or discover new ones. These pages provide comprehensive stats, news, and background information, giving fans a deeper understanding of each player's journey and achievements.Admin can easily update squad information based on ongoing competitions, ensuring that the content remains current and relevant. This approach not only engages fans more effectively but also enhances the overall experience by providing detailed insights into their favourite players.

Ticketing Solution

A seamless ticket-buying experience was created utilising Ticketmaster integration. Previously, users had found it difficult to find and purchase tickets online, but the new integration makes it easy to buy tickets from any point on the site— from fixtures to match day. This improvement has seen an increase in ticket sales for the Football Association of Ireland and has received positive feedback from fans. The new ticket area also provides clear visibility of package deals, ticket types, and availability, offering a comprehensive and user-friendly ticketing solution.

A pathway for anyone in grassroots

“Play Football” was designed as a comprehensive pathway for anyone looking to begin their football journey, whether inspired by an international player or interested in playing casually. This tool was built to help individuals discover football opportunities in their local area by showcasing nearby clubs and activities. By providing a personalised journey that highlights the closest options available, “Play Football” makes it easier for people of all ages and skill levels to get involved in the sport, fostering a stronger community connection and supporting the growth of grassroots football.

football league website by limegreentangerine

LGT immediately impressed us with their energy, ability and level of commitment. The Association’s values and ethos were quickly embraced; the team delivered a fantastic result, meeting our high expectations.

Rob Patterson, FAI Senior Digital Consultant
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