Ireland has moved one step closer to staging the European football Championships in 2008 after the Scottish Executive and Scottish Football Association today gave their support for a joint bid in conjunction with the Football Association of Ireland.
Today’s decision quashes reports last week that the Scottish organisers were planning to ditch the joint bid in favour of a solo run.
UEFA, football’s governing body, states that a country wishing to host such a large scale tournament requires a minimum of eight 30,000 all-seater stadia. Scotland can, at present, provide four world class stadia but felt it was not "practical" to build the remaining four, opting instead to co-host with Ireland.
Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell told the Executive this afternoon: "We have concluded that to create four 30,000-seat stadiums on top of our excellent facilities at Murrayfield, Hampden, Ibrox and Celtic Park is simply not practical or desirable."
"There is no foreseeable need for four more stadiums of this size.
"They would be expensive and there are serious doubts about whether Scotland could guarantee four new stadiums to UEFA's specification in time for 2008.
"We have, therefore, ruled out the possibility of Scotland bidding alone for the European Football Championships in 2008."
Ireland are now in line to co-host the tournament but must supply UEFA with two quality stadia. While Lansdowne Road has provided a home to the FAI, a massive redevelopment of the south Dublin venue would be required in order to stage such a high profile tournament.
Mr Brendan Menton, general secretary of the FAI, believes Lansdowne Road can be redeveloped in time to co-host Euro 2008.
"The minimum stadia criteria is for 30,000 and it is my view that it would be possible to revamp Landsowne Road into a modern stadia. It would be a significant cost but I think I can be done in a reasonable cost," he told RTE radio.
With the future of the ‘Bertie Bowl’ at Abbotstown still uncertain, it is expected the GAA will come under pressure to open its doors to ‘foreign’ sports. On Sunday, the GAA’s Strategic Review Committee recommended that Central Council have say on the use of Croke Park for major international events.
Mr Menton, however, was confident that the Abbotstown project would find its feet in time for the championship.
"I’ve known for a long time that there was an absolute need for a second major stadium in Dublin and that will be in Abbotstown," he said.
"I’ve every confidence that regardless of the Euro 2008, the situation at Abbotstown will be built and certainly will be ready well before 2008".
UEFA has set a February 28th deadline for all submissions.