THE UK and Ireland is set to host Euro 2028 with ten stadiums making the cut – but there are some shock omissions.
Turkey have officially withdrawn from the bidding process, leaving the UK and Ireland as the final candidate.
Ten stadiums in the UK and Ireland will host Euro 2028
GettyWembley Stadium was always a shoo-in to host games at Euro 2028 and will likely host the final[/caption]
Considering the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium cost £1BILLION to build, it had to be selectedRex
AlamyManchester City’s Etihad was selected over Old Trafford[/caption]
The football associations from all countries held talks to decide which stadiums would be picked to host the tournament.
And the lucky ten venues have been chosen under the banner: “Football for all. Football for good. Football for the future.”
Big stadiums to miss out are Manchester United‘s Old Trafford, West Ham’s London Stadium and Liverpool’s Anfield.
United legend Gary Neville has slammed the owners the Glazers for letting Old Trafford ‘rust’ and says it needs £1BILLION in renovations.
After meeting the FA, United execs pulled the plug on their bid to be a host stadium, despite them having the highest capacity after Wembley in England.
Meanwhile, SunSport revealed earlier this year that Anfield’s pitch is too SMALL to meet Uefa guidelines and cannot be extended.
England’s capital city London has two hosting venues – Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Wembley, the national stadium, has a whopping 90,000 capacity to dwarf the other stadia on the list.
Potential England starting line -up
PASt James’ Park will guarantee a cracking atmosphere in Euros games[/caption]
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It hosted the final heartbreak for England at Euro 2020 when Gareth Southgate’s boys were defeated by Italy on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
There were ugly scenes before the game too when fans without tickets piled into the national stadium.
This led to England receiving a two-match stadium ban.
Fortunately that seems to have been forgiven by Uefa chiefs.
Considering Spurs spent £1BILLION on their 62,850-capacity offering, their inclusion could be expected.
Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium (capacity of 53,400), Newcastle’s St James’ Park (52,305), and Everton’s not-yet-built Bramley-Moore Dock stadium (52,888) are the country’s northern choices.
PAEverton’s new £600m stadium has yet to be built but has been selected[/caption]
GettyAston Villa’s famous old Villa Park stadium has made the cut[/caption]
Aston Villa’s Villa Park is doing the Midlands proud and can house 42,640 fans.
Wales will have the 74,500-capacity Principality Stadium, Scotland the iconic Hampden Park that can cater for 51,866 people.
Over the water, Belfast’s Casement Park is selected for Northern Ireland, while the 51,700-capacity Aviva Dublin is the venue for the Republic of Ireland.
The Casement will undergo a huge renovation and feature a bowl-like design to host around 35,000 fans.
And to comply with Uefa rules, the stadia will have to lose their sponsored names – so the Etihad will be renamed ‘The City of Manchester Stadium’, for example.
A statement from the Home Nations bid group read: “The UK and Ireland share a proud reputation as world-leading event destinations which have successfully staged some of the biggest global sporting tournaments – backed by strong government support.
“This includes the recent record-breaking Uefa Women’s Euro 2022.
“We are delighted that our government partners are fully committed to hosting Uefa Euro 2028.
“They have signed the relevant tournament guarantees and will ensure the event is fully supported.
“This will create a welcoming, exciting and safe football experience that players and fans will enjoy in every city and every game.”
It has also been confirmed that THREE MILLION tickets will be available for the tournament – the highest total ever for the Euros.
The bid has been backed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf and Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford, who said it would be the “biggest sporting event our islands have ever jointly staged”.
Sunak added “Football has a habit of creating special memories and in 2028 we want to create new memories for a new generation – across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
“Our bid promises not only world-class stadia, excellent transport links and the world’s best fans but also the opportunity to build a lasting grassroots legacy.
“Euro 2028 would be an incredible showcase of all that the UK & Ireland have to offer and another landmark moment in our proud sporting history. I am immensely proud to be backing the bid.”
Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and Dublin’s Croke Park were the other locations to miss out.
And there could be some raised eyebrows that Arsenal‘s Emirates was not one to be considered either.
The Aviva Stadium in Dublin will host games in the Republic of IrelandSportsfile
GettyHampden Park will once again do Scotland proud[/caption]
Pacemaker PressNorthern Ireland has made sure to get in on the action with the Casement Park[/caption]
GettyThe Principality Stadium in Cardiff is as majestic as they come[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
