During a Uefa meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday, it is expected that the UK and Republic of Ireland will be announced as the hosts for the 2028 European Championships. With Turkey withdrawing from the bidding process last week and merging their Euro 2032 bid with Italy, the five-nation bid is now unopposed. Official approval from Uefa is still required for both bids. In a joint statement, the national associations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland expressed their excitement about the groundbreaking proposal for Euro 2028, highlighting the lasting legacies it would create across the UK and Ireland.
The tournament is planned to take place at 10 different stadiums, including Hampden Park in Glasgow, Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and Wembley Stadium in London. The bid also includes Belfast’s Casement Park and Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock, the former being a controversial choice and the latter still under construction. It would be the first time that the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales host a major tournament. England, on the other hand, has considerable hosting experience, having hosted Euro 2020, the 1966 World Cup, Euro 96, and the record-breaking Women’s European Championships in 2022.
Wembley Stadium is expected to host the final in 2028, which will be a significant test for the venue following the disorder during the Euro 2020 final. A review into the events found that the stadium had been stormed by “ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs,” posing a potential risk to life. The UK and Republic of Ireland shifted their focus to a Euro 2028 bid after abandoning their plan to become Europe’s preferred candidate for the 2030 World Cup.
Italy, having bid solely for the 2032 tournament, and Turkey, who bid for both Euro 2028 and 2032, are set to be confirmed as joint-hosts for the 2032 tournament. Turkey had waited for their joint bid with Italy to be approved before withdrawing from the Euro 2028 running. While Turkey has previously hosted the Champions League final, a major international tournament has never been held in the country. Italy, on the other hand, has hosted the Euros twice before, in 1968 and 1980, with Rome’s Stadio Olimpico also being a venue for Euro 2020. Germany will be hosting the 2024 edition of the tournament, which was postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
UK & Ireland Euro 2028 host stadiums
1. Wembley Stadium (London) (capacity 90,652)
2. Principality Stadium (Cardiff) (73,952)
3. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London) (62,322)
4. Etihad Stadium (Manchester) (61,000)
5. Everton Stadium (Liverpool) (52,679)
6. St James’ Park (Newcastle) (52,305)
7. Villa Park (Birmingham) (52,190)
8. Hampden Park (Glasgow) (52,032)
9. Aviva Stadium (Dublin) (51,711)
10. Casement Park (Belfast) (34,500)
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SOURCE: bbc.com
