Published Monday, 07 September 2009
The move comes after the government axed proposals for a multi-sports venue for football, rugby and gaelic games at the site of the former paramilitary prison at the Maze outside Lisburn.
After the Maze was taken off the table, other possible venues for a new football stadium in east Belfast and in Ormeau Park in the city centre were suggested.
But the IFA has decided to stay at Windsor Park, which it currently rents from Irish Premiership side Linfield.
The move effectively rules out any prospect of the three main sports in the region sharing a venue.
Windsor, which has a capacity of 13,500, is in need of redevelopment.
In a statement, the IFA said its executive board had agreed in principle to support a revamp of the venue.
"The size of the stadium, together with the ownership structure of the stadium and negotiations around the existing contract with Linfield FC, were not discussed but the association will now begin work on these areas and other key elements of the redevelopment project," it added.
'Tickets'
Former defender Alan McDonald, who reached the World Cup in his playing days, believes it is a shame so few supporters will get to see Northern Ireland play Slovakia on Wednesday night.
McDonald, who played for Northern Ireland in Mexico in 1986, said: "People are struggling to get a ticket for the game because there only a few available.
"We have this ongoing debate about a new stadium and it is probably costing the IFA a lot of money as there is great difficulty getting tickets.
"For matches like these you want as many supporters as you can. With the right stadium you would get 25-35,000 in just like we did against England. The atmosphere then was absolutely electric."
McDonald insists it is a special atmosphere under the Windsor Park lights.
He added: "We did not play too many international teams on a Saturday. We always used to play at the stadium on a weeknight.
"We tended to do better then than on Saturdays and hopeful that trend will continue with the current side."