/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballgroundguide.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F07%2Fimago1059352198.jpg)
The future of one of Northern Ireland's most historic football grounds could be set for a major change after councillors backed plans to sell it.
Derry City could take ownership of the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium for the first time, while the ground is also facing a possible capacity reduction unless ageing seats are replaced.
Derry City's Brandywell faces capacity change amid stadium sale decision
As per the BBC, Derry City and Strabane District Council's governance committee has agreed in principle to sell the Brandywell to Derry City, which has played at the stadium throughout its history.
The council has owned the site since the club's formation in 1928, with Derry City instead using the ground through a succession of short-term licences.
A long-term lease had previously been considered, but legislation prevents the council from granting one lasting more than a year. With the law at Stormont potentially taking several years, an outright sale has now emerged as the preferred alternative.
Any deal would require Derry City to pay market value for the stadium, although councillors have stressed that the sale is not yet a done deal and called for detailed consultation with other users of the wider site, including the greyhound racing operation.
The council report also revealed an immediate issue with the Southend Stand. An independent survey found that only 604 of its 2,064 seats are expected to remain safe beyond the end of the 2026 season.
Without replacement work, Brandywell's safe capacity would fall to 4,765. Installing new seats is estimated to cost around £156,000, with the council indicating that underspent money from its previous budget could fund the work.
The latest developments come shortly after Brandywell's ageing artificial surface was replaced by a new hybrid grass pitch and state-of-the-art irrigation system.
FGG says: Brandywell sale could begin major new chapter for Derry City
Potential ownership of the Brandywell would represent a significant moment for Derry City after almost a century of playing at a council-owned home, although the concerns of other groups using the site must be properly considered before any deal is completed.
The potential capacity reduction is a more immediate concern, but with funding available for replacement seating, there appears to be a clear solution.
Between the new hybrid pitch and the possibility of club ownership, a major period of change could be beginning at one of Irish football's most historic grounds.