‘The Final Whistle’ – Sporting Farewell to the current Victoria Stadium to take place in June.

The Gibraltar FA has announced a special sporting farewell to the Victoria Stadium which will take place next month on June 21, ahead of the stadium’s full demolition which is set to resume in the Autumn.
Under the banner of the ‘Final Whistle’ the association hopes to “celebrate Gibraltar’s sporting history at Victoria Stadium, which for decades stood at the heart of our sporting community, not only as the home of football, but as a venue that has welcomed a wide range of sports and the athletes who brought them to life.”
“To honour that legacy, several of Gibraltar’s sporting associations, that have called the Victoria Stadium home for so many years will be joining the Gibraltar FA in celebrating the incredible moments and memories that have been created and passed down through generations of Gibraltarians before ‘The Final Whistle’ is blown on all sporting activity in the Victoria Stadium in its current state.”
A full programme of activities, including an Open Day on the June 18 will be announced very shortly for the association claims “promises to be a day to remember for Gibraltarian Sport.”
Once the final whistle is blown, the Gibraltar FA will make the area available to the Government of Gibraltar to use for select community events until demolition can resume in the Autumn.
This newspaper understands that the delays in the demolition of the stadium is due to the obligations to meet DPC requirements, namely a small colony of birds, described as a protected species under Gibraltar regulations, which currently has a nest within the roof of the stadium.
Whilst demolition works are pending other removal works have continued within the building in order to prepare it for its final demolition.
In the meantime the association continues to seek an agreement with UEFA which will see its home international matches return to the Rock. The association hoping that planned works at Europa Sport Complex, namely the construction of new stands, alongside an agreement with UEFA will see matches return later this year.
Already club football has received a boost this summer with the annual inspection of the turf at Europa Sports Complex already approved and certified for use allowing this summers preliminary and first round matches in UEFA club competitions to be hosted on the Rock. Gibraltar clubs playing in Europe once again able to play the initial rounds, prior to the group stages on the Rock.