Larne: Premiership winners cannot play European home games at Inver after pitch fails Fifa test
- Published
Larne were crowned Irish League champions for the first time ever last month
Larne will not be able to play any European competition home legs at Inver Park next season after their pitch failed to meet the required Fifa criteria.
The club said its synthetic surface failed "one element" of the Fifa Pro Standard pitch test.
It means Larne will have to play their home matches at an alternative venue, which they must nominate by 2 June.
Larne are set to make their Champions League debut this summer.
They will be in the draw for the first qualifying stages of the competition after winning the Irish Premiership for the first time in the club's 134-year history last month.
When announcing the news, Larne added that Inver Park "remains a Uefa category two stadium, as per the 2023/24 Uefa club licence issued by the Irish Football Association, and is fit for all domestic fixtures".
They also said they would "begin the process of exploring the possibility of replacing the surface within the next 12 months".
The 4G pitch at Inver was installed in 2018, at the same time as redevelopment work on the stands was carried out after a multi-million pound investment in the club by businessman Kenny Bruce, who had spoken of his desire to hear the Champions League music played at Inver Park.
"We are bitterly disappointed to have received the news from the test lab that Inver Park has missed out by just one element of the certification required to host European fixtures this summer," Larne general manager Niall Curneen told the club website, external.
"When our 4G playing surface was installed back in 2018, the pitch had an expected lifespan of five-seven years. Despite still being considered a top-quality surface for NIFL Premiership and all domestic fixtures, we have unfortunately fallen just short of the increasingly high criteria imposed by Fifa.
"The experts advising us through this process have described us as being 'victims of our own success' in that while Inver Park has become such a fantastic community hub which is used seven days per week, this has unfortunately accelerated the wear and tear which has led to the situation we find ourselves in today.
"This once again highlights the need for more sporting facilities around the town, outside of the two artificial pitches funded by the club over the past five years."
He added: "To our supporters, please be assured that we will work with you to make it as easy as possible to attend our home legs in July. While the news is fresh to us all, discussions have already begun around extra transport for home legs."