A joint bid to host the men’s European Championship in 2028 from the UK and Ireland is set to proceed unopposed, as Turkey has officially withdrawn its bid, according to an announcement by UEFA.
This development had been widely anticipated, with the UK and Ireland emerging as frontrunners for Euro 2028 after the English Football Association signalled its decision not to bid for the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2030.
UEFA had been looking for a football-oriented market to host the tournament with hopes at recouping revenues lost due to the COVID-19 disruption during the 2021 tournament.
Turkey, initially expressing interest in hosting both the 2028 and 2032 editions, later opted to focus on a joint bid with Italy for the 2032 tournament.
With Euro 2028 featuring 24 teams, a proposal for ten venues across the five host countries has been submitted to UEFA.
Six venues are situated in England, including Villa Park, St James’ Park, and the yet-to-be-completed new home for Everton, Bramley Moore Dock stadium. In the other home nations, the list includes Hampden Park in Glasgow, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and Belfast’s Casement Park.
UEFA envisions England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales participating in the standard qualification process for the tournament, while keeping two host nation spots open for teams failing to qualify. Should more than two nations fail to qualify, the two best-performing ones would secure those positions.
Debbie Hewitt, Chair of the FA, has described the bid as “pioneering” and emphasised its potential benefits for grassroots football development.
UEFA confirmed that the award of both tournaments remains subject to approval by the executive committee during its meeting in Nyon on October 10.
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