The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have formally submitted their bid to co-host the men’s 2028 Uefa European Championship. As part of the UK and Ireland’s joint candidacy, the host cities and ten stadiums have also been proposed for the 18th edition of the tournament.
According to a statement issued by the five associations, almost three million tournament tickets will be made available and the average stadium capacity will be 58,000.
Turkey is set to be the UK and Ireland’s only rival to host Euro 2028 after European football’s governing body Uefa confirmed that the Turkish Football Federation has submitted its bid dossier to host the tournament in either 2028 or 2032. The Italian Football Federation has also submitted its bid dossier for Euro 2032.
Uefa said: “In the forthcoming months, the Uefa administration will evaluate each of the bids, with the Uefa Executive Committee to vote on who has won the right to host both editions in October.”
UK and Ireland’s Euro 2028 proposed stadiums
The ten stadiums which have been shortlisted for the UK and Ireland’s Euro 2028 bid include two that are yet to be finished: Everton’s new stadium in Liverpool and Casement Park in Belfast.
- London: Wembley Stadium (90,652 capacity)
- Cardiff: National Stadium of Wales (73,952)
- London: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,322)
- Manchester: City of Manchester Stadium (61,000)
- Liverpool: Everton Stadium (52,679)
- Newcastle: St James’ Park (52,305)
- Birmingham: Villa Park (52,190)
- Glasgow: Hampden Park (52,032)
- Dublin: Dublin Arena (51,711)
- Belfast: Casement Park (34,500)
What the UK and Ireland’s bid team said
Debbie Hewitt, chair of the UK and Ireland bid: “Our pioneering five-way partnership will deliver a record-breaking and unforgettable Uefa Euro. We will work together tirelessly to be the best partners for Uefa and to deliver on every one of our shared priorities. We will focus on growing football, connecting with and engaging new fans, players and volunteers. We continue to invest £50m (€57m) annually into grassroots football development across our five associations. Together, we want Uefa Euro 2028 to be the catalyst for a new and sustainable era for football, from the grassroots to the very top of the European game.”
A joint statement from the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf, the first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford, and the taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar: “Together, our nations will host an outstanding Uefa Euro 2028. It will be the biggest sporting event our islands have ever jointly staged – a passionate and unforgettable celebration, with long-term benefits for our cities and communities as well as all European football. Our governments are fully committed to hosting Uefa Euro 2028. Drawing on our collective experience of hosting major events, we will work with our five Football Associations and Uefa to deliver the best possible tournament – a welcoming, exciting and safe football festival that players, fans and the entire Uefa family will enjoy in every city and at every game.”