FOOTBALL is officially coming home for Euro 2028 – after Turkey withdrew from the race.
The FA-led five-nation British Isles bid – featuring England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – will host the tournament, Uefa have confirmed.
Turkey’s withdrawal left the Wembley-led bid as the lone contender, with the hosting choice formally determined at a meeting of Uefa’s ruling executive committee yesterday and then publicly confirmed in Nyon today.
As SunSport reported in July, Turkey recognised that the British Isles bid was on course to win when it asked Uefa to let it instead co-host the 2032 tournament with Italy.
Uefa have confirmed that Turkey and Italy will co-host the 2032 tournament.
Senior Uefa figures had leaned on the Turks to join up with the Italian bid for the 2032 event rather than staying in contention for 2028.
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And it means that the UK and Ireland will jointly host an entire tournament for the first time – after Dublin’s scheduled games at the delayed multi-nation Euro 2020 were moved at the 11th hour because of Covid issues.
Wembley will be one of six English venues, alongside Villa Park, St James’ Park, the Etihad, Everton’s in-construction new home at Bramley Moore Dock and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow and Casement Park in Belfast – the long-standing home of Gaelic sport in Northern Ireland which is also under reconstruction – will ensure games are played in all five countries.
It’s understood Cardiff will host the opening match – with the final held at Wembley.
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With Uefa sticking with a 24-team tournament structure, it means 51 matches will be played.
One remaining sticking point is the qualification process fore the host nations, with Uefa regulations only allowing two guaranteed slots.
It is expected that all five nations will enter the normal qualification competition to earn their right to take part, although there is likely to be two “back-stop” places left open to ensure a significant portion of the five hosts are involved in the tournament.
This is still to be confimed.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
