▁rugby ▁union ▁and ▁G ael ic ▁games ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Maz e ▁prison , ▁or ▁a ▁national ▁stad ium ▁built ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁major ▁le is ure ▁development ▁at ▁Sy den ham ▁in ▁east ▁B elf ast . ▁The ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁multi - pur pose ▁stad ium ▁at ▁the ▁Maz e ▁site ▁was ▁strongly ▁protest ed ▁by ▁essentially ▁all ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁match - going ▁supp or ters . ▁Vari ous ▁pet itions ▁in ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁suggestion , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁organ ised ▁displays ▁of ▁opposition ▁at ▁matches ▁and ▁the ▁presentation ▁counter - pro pos als , ▁were ▁arranged ▁by ▁Supp or ters ▁Club s ▁in ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁block ▁any ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁Maz e . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁Irish ▁Football ▁Association ▁( I FA ) ▁announced ▁that ▁its ▁preferred ▁option ▁was ▁to ▁remain ▁at ▁a ▁re develop ed ▁W inds or ▁Park . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Executive ▁allocated ▁£ 1 3 8 m ▁for ▁a ▁major ▁programme ▁of ▁stad ium ▁re development ▁throughout ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁with ▁£ 2 8 m ▁allocated ▁to ▁the ▁re development ▁of ▁W inds or ▁Park ▁into ▁a ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 - cap acity ▁all - se ater ▁stad ium . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁stad ium ' s ▁re development ▁were ▁released . ▁The ▁plan ▁would ▁see ▁W inds or ▁Park ▁become ▁an ▁