The UK and Ireland have been announced as the hosts of the men’s UEFA European Championship 2028 after Turkey’s withdrawal from the bidding process.
In terms of commercial value, expectations are that the event will generate massive revenue of around €3bn (£2.6bn) shared among the five host nations, with approximately three million tickets becoming available for fans to purchase.
As qualifications for the competition start, two safety nets will be reserved for host teams that fail to accumulate enough points to continue. However, if this number proves to be more than two, UEFA will allow only the first and second best host teams to move forward into the tournament.
A total of 10 venues will be prepared to host the tournament’s 24 teams – six of them located in England, with Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales hosting the remaining four.
For England these include Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Etihad Stadium, Villa Park, St James’ Park and Bramley-Moore Dock. The other stadiums include the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, Aviva Stadium in Dublin, as well as Casement Park in Belfast which is currently being renovated.
Debbie Hewitt, Chair of the English FA, said: “Nothing is ever a formality even right until the last minute. We took nothing for granted. There’s so many things that you might think might divide, but actually it has really unified. I think that will be something that we all feel very proud of.”
Comments were also provided by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his visit to St George’s Park, where he said: “It’s fantastic to be here to celebrate the great news that the UK and Ireland have been chosen to host the men’s Euros in 2028.
“I grew up with Euro 96 being one of the most amazing memories of my childhood. And we have a chance to do that all over again for lots more people just like we did last year with the Lionesses.
“We host tournaments better than anyone else. It’s going to be a massive boost for the economy. We’re going to welcome millions of people to the country, and it’s going to inspire a whole new generation. So it’s great news and it was great to be here with the team and Gareth [Southgate] to celebrate.”
