Euro 2028: UK and Ireland bid to host tournament set for approval by UEFA

The UK and Ireland are likely to host Euro 2028, with Wembley hosting the final. England manager Gareth Southgate sees it as a great opportunity. UEFA will make the official announcement on October 10th.

The UK and Ireland are set to formally approve their bid to host Euro 2028 on Tuesday.

The UEFA executive committee is expected to approve the bid of five countries. Turkey recently withdrew and is now focused on a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032.

The tournament will take place in June and July 2028, seven years after England and Scotland co-hosted matches during the rescheduled tournament held across Europe.

The UK-Ireland bid submitted in April includes ten stadia. Six stadia are located in England, with one each in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

There are six stadiums in England: Wembley, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Etihad Stadium, St James’ Park, Villa Park, and Everton’s new home at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Four stadiums, Casement Park in Belfast, Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Hampden Park in Glasgow, and Principality Stadium in Cardiff, have been redeveloped.

Noel Mooney, the head of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and a former UEFA executive, expressed that there is a collaborative effort among the parties involved. They have communicated their collective desires, and the chosen bid is now moving forward. The aim is to host group matches and a few additional matches.

“I think we’d be looking for four, five, or six matches. We’d be really happy and I think some of the other associations would be happy as well.”

The five-nation bid was the clear favorite, even with Turkey in the mix.

UEFA sources say hosting another European Championships in a big football market is crucial. This will help replenish their funds after the financial impact of Covid-19.

Last week, five nations made a joint statement after Turkey’s withdrawal. They proposed something significant and innovative to UEFA, aiming to leave a lasting impact on Ireland and the UK.