EVERTON’S proposed new home is set to be awarded matches at Euro 2028 after the five British Isles associations unveiled their shortlist of stadiums for the tournament.
SunSport revealed earlier this year that Anfield was out of contention because the pitch is too SMALL to meet Uefa guidelines and cannot be extended.
But Goodison’s replacement, still under construction at Bramley moore Dock, was among the 14 potential venues which will be whittled down to 10 by April.
And it is expected that the 60,000 ground will be confirmed as a host after the England-led team handed in the “Preliminary Bid Dossier” to Uefa chiefs.
The five nations bid is expected to beat off the challenge of Turkey to host the tournament.
With Wembley certain to host the final, it is anticipated that each of the five nations will have games.
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Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will be the Welsh flag-bearer, with Dublin offering both Croke Park – the traditional home of gaelic sport – and the Aviva Stadium.
Belfast’s Casement Park – another gaelic venue but with a proposed capacity of 35,000, vastly superior to Windsor Park’s 18,500 – is the proposed Northern Ireland option, with the Scottish FA surprisingly putting forward only Hampden Park.
It is unlikely that both Dublin venues will be chosen – Croke Park’s 82,000 seated capacity could prove decisive – leaving five potential grounds in England to add to Wembley.
Only one of those will be in the capital, with the Tottenham Hotspur stadium expected to see off the challenge of West Ham’s London Stadium.
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Old Trafford and the Etihad appear to be fighting for one venue in London, as are St James’ Park and the Stadium of Light in the North East, with Villa Park the sole Midlands candidate and Everton’s new home the final English contender.
Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin is known to be an active backer of the Five Nations bid against their only rival, with the final vote to be taken by the ruling executive committee which he controls.
The five nations pledged: “Our vision is a commitment to diversity, social purpose and innovation in delivering an outstanding Uefa Euro 2028 that will create unforgettable memories in sold-out, iconic stadia in famous football cities known throughout the world.
“Together, we believe we can deliver a world-class tournament and that hosting Euro 2028 will achieve a strong and sustainable legacy for football and wider society, helping to drive economic growth in local communities.
“Our plan is to host a tournament that will be a catalyst for transformational grassroots football development – with a promise to share legacy initiatives with European National Associations to accelerate growth across the continent.
“The UK and Ireland’s track record of hosting successful major sporting events over many decades means we have the expertise and experience to take this world-class tournament to new heights.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
