The United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK) and Ireland will host the European Championship in 2028, the European governing body, UEFA has confirmed.
This was confirmed during UEFA’s executive committee meeting held in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday morning. The five-nation bid was unopposed after Turkey withdrew last week.
This will be the first European tournament hosted by five countries (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland), aside from the 2020 tournament that was disrupted by COVID-19.
Usually, the host nation(s) of any tournament qualify automatically but since these are now five host nations, Soccer Scoop understands that UEFA wants them to undergo proper qualification.
However, two slots for automatic qualifications have been set aside in case any of the host nations fail to qualify after playing the qualifiers.
Stadiums
Ten stadiums were included in the UK-Ireland bid submission in April. Six of the venues are in England, with one each from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The venues include; Wembley Stadium in London, which is primed to host the final match of the tournament. The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, is set to host the opening ceremony of the Euro 2028.
Others include the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Etihad Stadium, St James’ Park, Villa Park, and Everton’s new home at Bramley-Moore Dock, which is currently under construction.
A redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, and Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland will also host matches for the tournament.
At the same event, UEFA also confirmed that Turkey and Italy will be the joint hosts of the Euro 2032. Turkey was earlier involved in the running for the 2028 tournament but pulled out after receiving a guarantee that they would be hosts four years later.
