Euro 2028: What now as Ireland-UK bid to host finals set to get go-ahead?

Good news on the Euro 2028 front?

Yes, the joint UK-Irish bid looks certain to host the European Championships in 2028. Turkey and Italy are set to co-host Euro 2032. Uefa will confirm the venues for both tournaments next Tuesday, October 10th.

How will the co-hosting of Euro 2028 work?

It’s a joint bid from the English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish football associations and the FAI, with the final to take place at Wembley Stadium.

How many games will be played in Ireland?

FAI chief executive Jonathan Hill has stated that “six matches” will take place at the Aviva Stadium – four group stage games, a last-16 tie and a quarter-final – while Casement Park in Belfast is one of 10 stadiums shortlisted. Croke Park was on the long list, along with Old Trafford, but neither made the cut.

But Casement has been in a dilapidated state since 2013?

Correct, but the Northern Ireland government and the Ulster Council of the GAA both envisage a two-year construction of a 34,578-capacity stadium, with 8,500 terraced, beginning in early 2024. Construction costs on the Anderson Road site could soar to £130 million (€150 million). The GAA already committed £15 million, and not “one more penny”.

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[ Euro 2028: Ireland and UK set to be confirmed as hosts after Turkey withdrew bid ]

The UK exchequer could end up funding the revamp of Ulster’s primary GAA facility?

No, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Wednesday that the Government has entered discussions with the Ulster GAA Council and the British government “as to how we can make a contribution to the cost of building that new stadium and I believe we should”. If Casement is renovated in time, the Aviva (capacity 51,711) would become the most outdated of all 10 stadiums, although Varadkar added that “it won’t require a huge amount of additional work”.

What happens if Casement is not finished by 2028?

Northern Ireland’s home venue at Windsor Park only holds 18,500, which is significantly below the 30,000 capacity cut-off required by Uefa so the Aviva could benefit or one from Croke Park, Old Trafford and Sunderland’s Stadium of Light come back into play.

Where are the other eight grounds?

The soon-to-be-completed Everton stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool (52,679), Hampden Park in Glasgow (52,032), St James’ Park in Newcastle (52,305), the Etihad in Manchester (61,000), Villa Park in Birmingham (52,190), the Principality in Cardiff (73,952), and two London venues, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (63,322) and Wembley (90,652).

So, the Euros final will return to Wembley despite the mess of the Euro 2021 final there?

The December 2021 report by Baroness Louise Casey report noted mass breaches of disabled access gates and emergency fire doors, which allowed 2,000 “drunken and drugged up thugs” enter the stadium illegally, with the Baroness calling the “appalling scene of disorder” a “day of national shame”. Further injuries, she wrote, were only avoided by rainfall and Italy winning the penalty shoot-out, as this prompted 6,000 people outside Wembley to abandon plans to charge the main gates. The English FA was fined €100,000 and ordered to play one game behind closed doors.

How have multiple security concerns around Wembley been allayed?

Several new measures, costing £3.4 million (€3.9 million), includes increased police presence on Wembley Way, a 3.6-metre fence and 50 new CCTV cameras.

Euro 2028 – what are the immediate benefits to Irish football?

Ideally, the Republic of Ireland will have four group matches in Dublin with a last 16 and quarter-final to follow.

What about qualification?

FAI CEO Jonathan Hill recently suggested that all five host nations will go through the normal qualification process but two of the tournament’s 24 spots will be reserved for them. If, say, England and Scotland qualify automatically while Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland do not, then Wales and Ireland (currently ranked 55th) would qualify with Northern Ireland (currently 74th) missing out.

The FAI talk of the ‘lasting legacies’ created by bringing the Euros to Dublin, but are there expected monetary benefits?

The association claim that the tournament will “generate cumulative socio-economic benefits of up to €3 billion” for all five nations, with €241 million “generated in Ireland”. Also, a €51 million legacy fund will be invested in grassroots football spread across all five nations. However, in April, the Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe cast doubt over the financial models underpinning Ireland’s bid for Euro 2028.