UK and Ireland set to host Euro 2028 despite unbuilt stadiums as Turkey drop out
For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
Thank you for subscribing!
For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
We have more newsletters
The UK and Ireland are all but assured of hosting Euro 2028 after Turkey dropped out of the race to stage the tournament.
Ten stadiums across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are slated to host the tournament. Manchester United's Old Trafford and Liverpool's home, Anfield, have not made the final cut to hold games.
Northern Ireland's stadium, Casement Park, has not even been built yet while Hampden Park in Glasgow, Cardiff's Principality Stadium and the Aviva Stadium in Dublin would all host games. St James' Park, the Etihad, Everton's new ground, which is in construction, Villa Park, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley, which would stage the final, will be the English venues.
A formal announcement will be made in October but it is a mere formality that UK and Ireland will get the nod. However, it is unclear whether all five nations would be granted automatic qualification, which is normally granted to host countries.
READ MORE: Stadium included in UK and Ireland's Euro 2028 bid is derelict and lying in ruin
With stadiums requiring a minimum capacity of 30,000, Northern Ireland's current national stadium, Windsor Park, is not big enough. Therefore, plans are afoot to build a 34,000-capacity ground costing £110m at Casement Park. It would also be used for Gaelic football, other sports and concerts.
Casement Park is currently a derelict and abandoned stadium, prompting fears over both cost and timescale with less than five years to go before the tournament. Speaking in May, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said he was confident the ground would be built.
What do you think about the stadium list for Euro 2028? Tell us in the comments section below
"We'll get the money, don't you worry," he told the BBC. "I don't actually know how much the whole thing is going to cost. We've seen different estimates.
"But let's win the bid first. Once we win the bid, we'll sit down round a table and the money will get sorted out."
Meanwhile, Everton's new home at Bramley-Moore Dock is due to open in 2025 with a capacity of around 53,000.
Follow the Daily Star on Threads
Turkey and Italy had been going head-to-head to host Euro 2032, but are now seeking to bid together.
UEFA said in a statement: “UEFA confirms that it has received today a request from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to merge their individual bids into one joint bid to host UEFA EURO 2032."
The Italian federation said the decision to bid jointly with Turkey had been reached following a “complex and fruitful consultation process”.
- England Football Team
- Wales Football Team
- Scotland
Source: Read Full Article