The success of the rearranged Euro 2020 tournament, won by Italy, was a factor in driving the recovery of European football markets (PA)
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The United Kingdom and Ireland are set to be announced as the hosts for Uefa Euro 2028 with another joint bid between Turkey and Italy the likely destinations for the 2032 edition. Uefa still need to grant official approval to the bids, which have so far been unopposed, when they meet Switzerland on Tuesday.
Ten stadiums across the UK and Ireland are set to play host to Euro 2028 with Wembley Stadium (London), Principality Stadium (Cardiff), Hampden Park (Glasgow), Aviva Stadium (Dublin), and Casement Park (Belfast) all named as venues in the bid. The final is due to be held at Wembley, the same location where the Lionesses won the 2022 Euros and where the men lost to Italy in the 2020 Euro final.
Germany host the competition next year after the previous edition was held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Follow along with all of the latest updates as the 2028 and 2032 hosts are announced.
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UK and Ireland bid ‘favourite’ before Turkey withdrawal
Senior Uefa sources have indicated the importance of another European Championship in a major football market, following on from next year’s tournament in Germany, as European football’s governing body seeks to further replenish its reserves after the financial shock of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The five nations behind the bid for Euro 2028 released a joint statement last week following Turkey’s withdrawal, stating they had a “compelling” and “ground-breaking” proposal for Uefa to consider, which would deliver “lasting legacies” across the whole of Ireland and the UK.
Bid leaders estimate that the 2028 tournament is projected to generate around three billion euros (£2.6 billion) of economic benefit for the five host nations and even when Turkey were in the running, the five-nation bid was the overwhelming favourite to be selected.
UK and Ireland Euro 2028 bid set for official approval
The UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 is set to be officially approved later today.
Turkey’s withdrawal to focus on a joint bid with Italy to host Euro 2032 leaves the five-nation bid unopposed to host the tournament in five years’ time, with former Wales forward Gareth Bale adding a sprinkling of stardust to the presentation that will be made to Uefa’s executive committee alongside six youth ambassadors.
It emerged on Monday that England had requested to go through qualification for Euro 2028.
Uefa has reserved two ‘safety net’ host-nation berths should any of the five UK and Ireland bidders not qualify on merit, but the Football Association is understood to have already told Uefa that England are keen to go through qualification.
The FA is keen to keep the team competitive in the run-up to the finals, with Germany having struggled playing friendlies in the build-up to Euro 2024. There are also concerns over the level of opposition they would be able to secure if they were limited to friendlies.
If more than two of the five hosts do not make it, only the two with the best record will secure host places. So there are no guarantees all five will be involved in the finals.
Reporting by PA
Wales to host six matches at Euro 2028
As part of the UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028, Wales hope to stage as many as six matches according to FAW chief executive Noel Mooney.
Mooeny also said last October that Cardiff are in line to stage the opening match of the tournament if their bid is successful (which it will be).
“Six games for Wales has been mentioned before, but it is ultimately up to Uefa to decide on the division of games, qualification from the five host nations and things like that,” said Mooney,
“We’re lucky in that we have a fantastic stadium to offer in a magnificent city. Cardiff hosted a very successful Champions League final in 2017 and Uefa were very happy with it.
“But we feel we can get more out of hosting a series of games than from a stand alone match.
“There were tens of thousands of Spanish and Italian fans in Cardiff for Real Madrid against Juventus, and they all had a great time. But they were gone the next day.
“What the 2016 Euros did for France as a brand, and 2024 will do for Germany, was fantastic. The Covid-hit Euros weren’t the same and the World Cup in Qatar was a different experience.”
Gareth Bale helped Wales’ delegation for Euro 2028 bid
Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney praised former Wales captain Gareth Bale for his willingness to be a part of the delegation backing a proposal from the UK and Ireland to host Euro 2028.
Speaking in September before Turkey had withdrawn their own bid Mooney said: “We are hoping for a successful bid and Gareth is very much part of the FAW and what we do. He has been identified as one of the faces of the bid presentation.
“Gareth is globally famous. You can get into a taxi in Sydney or Peru and if you mention you are from Wales they will say ‘Gareth Bale’. It is an instant reaction.
“When I go home to the west of Ireland the first thing people say to me is ‘how is Gareth Bale?’
“Gareth is so good for us. We went to him and asked him if he would get involved in the Euro ’28 bid and he just said: ‘What can I do for Wales?’
“It was instant – ‘how can I help you get the bid over the line?’”
England reject automatic qualification for Euro 2028
England have told Uefa that they want to play to secure a place at Euro 2028 by entering the qualification rounds along with their four other co-hosts.
The Uk and Ireland’s bid will be confirmed later today in Switzerland as there is no remaining opposition to the finals being held across England, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin.
However, there are only two places being reserved as “back-stops” for host countries that fail to get through their qualification group.
All five nations intend to go through the qualification rounds though that does raise the risk that one or more of them may miss out on their own tournament.
Uefa would only ever grant two automatic places for hosts, so going through qualification gives all five nations the opportunity to qualify.
Gareth Southgate positive about UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028
Gareth Southgate says it will be “brilliant for everybody” if the UK and Ireland’s bid to host the Euro 2028 gets the green light and questioned the “integrity” of the plan for a cross-continent 2030 World Cup.
Turkey’s withdrawal to focus on a joint submission with Italy for Euro 2032 means the five-nation bid is now the only option on the table for the finals in five years’ time.
Uefa will formally announce the hosts for both tournaments following a meeting of its executive committee in Switzerland today.
Gareth Southgate positive about UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028
The England boss acknowledged ‘fantastic football nations’.
Football for the future
The UK and Ireland proposal is backed by all five national governments and National Football Associations with the final bid presentations to be followed by the announcement ceremony this morning at the Uefa Headquarters in Switzerland.
The bid sets out a vision of “Football for all, Football for good. Football for the future” which aims to diversify the game and make it more inclusive, as well as connect with the next generation of fans.
A joint statement by the five associations said: “Together, we believe we can deliver a world-class tournament, and that hosting Euro 2028 will achieve a strong and sustainable legacy for football and wider society, helping to drive economic growth in local communities.”
Euro 2028 venues: UK and Ireland name 10 stadiums as Anfield and Old Trafford miss out
The UK and Ireland are set to host Euro 2028 after their sole bidding rival, Turkey, pulled out of the running.
The bid originally featured 14 proposed venues with nine in England, two in Ireland and one in each of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
That shortlist was then whittled down to a final 10, with Dublin’s Croke Park, Manchester’s Old Trafford, Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and the London Stadium all failing to make the cut.
UK and Ireland name 10 Euro 2028 venues as Anfield and Old Trafford miss out
Six English stadia are on the final list while there is one in each of the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
UK and Ireland proposal
The proposal that underpins the UK and Ireland’s bid for Euro 2028 includes matches across 10 stadiums spread over each of the five nations.
In England, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Etihad Stadium, St. James’ Park, Villa Park, Everton Stadium and of course Wembley will all host matches while Casement Park will represent Northern Ireland, the Aviva Stadium represents the Republic of Ireland, the Principality Stadium for Wales, and Hampden Park for Scotland.
Almost three million tournament tickets are set to be available and the proposed tournament will have more tickets on offer than any previous European Championship.
Spread across five nations and 10 cities, with an average stadium capacity of 58,000, the event has the potential to be the biggest in the UK since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
UK and Ireland set to be announced as Euro 2028 hosts
The host nations for Euro 2028 and 2032 will be announced by the Uefa Executive Committee on Tuesday 10th October. The meeting will begin at 9am BST with the announcement expected to follow around 11-11:30am BST.
The United Kingdom and Ireland currently have an unopposed bid to host the competition as Turkey withdrew to form a joint bid with Italy for 2032. As a result, the UK and Ireland are set to be named as hosts for 2028.
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