United to open new Dublin stadium

The rebuilt Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, which stages the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League final, will welcome Manchester United FC for its first football match on 4 August.

Also used for rugby union, the stadium replaces the old Lansdowne Road, which closed in 2007, and will have a 50,000-seated capacity. United will take on a League of Ireland XI, a week before the Republic of Ireland play an 11 August friendly against Argentina. Ireland's first home UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier at the stadium will be on 7 September against Andorra, and the UEFA Europa League final – the first such fixture the nation has held – on 18 May 2011.

Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney said: "Along with the friendly match against Argentina on 11 August and our two home European Championship qualifying matches, football fans are in for an eventful and exciting autumn."