Ireland and UK to host Euro 2028

johnnyryan89

UK and Ireland officially announced as hosts of Euro 2028, and both Italy and Turkey will co-host Euro 2032. Casement included as one of the proposed stadiums in the announcement.

ebbsy

UEFA and the UK would not care less if Casement was never built.

They had to name something in the North just to give the impression that they actually care about the place.

A replacement has already been chosen I would bet.

JP Liz V1

Dublin and Belfast the cities to host shame Cork or Galway or Limerick were not considered also

An FAI statement also attempted to deal with the legacy element of this tilt: “The bid has the full backing of the respective Ireland and UK Governments who see this as a significant opportunity to generate meaningful sporting, economic, environmental and social benefits. The Government partners have agreed to a shared €51 million legacy fund which will be invested to develop football and create additional legacies across our five Associations.

"The FAI and the Government of Ireland are committed to a €6.2m Irish legacy fund which will be earmarked for investment across all facets of our sport. This fund is in addition to other revenue tournament-related revenue streams for the FAI which will be directed back into the development of the game in Ireland.”

The Examiner

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121221646#Comment_121221646

Would've been lovely to have another Irish city used, but I'd say a big part of the Irish portion of the bid was based in the fact that it won't cost us much. The Aviva (or, "Dublin Arena") won't cost much to bring up to the UEFA international requirements (which is pretty high), whereas any of the other options would cost an absolute fortune I'd say, and would likely need a fair bit of local infrastructure investment too.

Hope Casement does happen anyway, be great to have a decent chunk of games taking place across the island. Belfasts's a lovely city to nip up to these days as well.

TheCitizen

Has there been a decision or when will a decision be made regarding which if any of these 5 host nations are given a starting spot in the tournament without having to qualify.

Some chat that England who always qualify in recent decades anyway would prefer to have a qualifying campaign. Not sure about the validity of that.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121221681#Comment_121221681

Well I think it’s great that Casement Park will be upgraded and be available for GAA games and it’s good that the GAA and the Irish government I believe are making contributions to that upgrade along with the British government. Casement Park is a stadium that is being built from scratch and the proposal is that it will be a 34,500 seater stadium and as far as I know they haven’t even started building it yet?

Might have been less costly and quicker to upgrade Thomond Park perhaps? Pairc Ui Chaoimh has only recently been upgraded, might have made more sense to upgrade infrastructure around it?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222539#Comment_121222539

You can't really upgrade Thomond Park as it's land locked.

You could knock and rebuild the main stands but they are already very exaggerated looking and I don't think it would be a popular move with Munster fans as the stadium is about the right size as is.

Casements problem wasn't money or time it was objections and politics.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222631#Comment_121222631

Pairc Ui Chaoimh is 45,000 seater. Recently re opened, wouldn’t need much in terms of upgrades to meet requirements in comparison to building a stadium from scratch?

Casements problem has become time; now that the tournament has been confirmed for the UK and Ireland. They could and hopefully will still renovate Casement Park but will it be in time for this tournament?

By the way, what do you mean by Thomond Parks stands look exaggerated? It’s supposed to look exaggerated. I think it looks great where it is. Strange comment.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222693#Comment_121222693

PuC is not a 45000 seater. It's 45000 capacity with 2 terraces. It would also need work on adding more press boxes, media and security facilities.

"Ireland" does not exist in UEFA so Cork would be competing with English stadiums to host as it's not a case of PuC and Casement being an equal choice as Irish stadiums. So after this work would most likely lose the bid anyway.

Yes it would be cheaper than a new stadium but Casement needs to be built anyway and a modern stadium was the GAAs plan regardless of the Euros.

I think Thomond Park looks great but the stands are huge compared to the terraces and thanks to the steepness and being on a hill look absolutely towering on the outside compared to the surrounding area so I'm not sure knocking them and building even bigger ones for 3 games would be popular.

artanevilla

GAA stadiums in general are very basic, particularly when compared to what is expected of a modern football stadium, never mind one that has to host a major football tournament.

The city itself also is a key factor. Does Cork or Limerick have the required number of hotel rooms etc?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222864#Comment_121222864

Our infrastructure was heavily criticised by the Rugby World cup report which is a much smaller tournament than the EUROs but I reckon Limerick or Cork (especially Cork) but not both could manage if you factor in using hotels from both cities and maybe Killarney together.

But it's not just about "could they" it's would they be a better choice than the other bids. I doubt they would.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222759#Comment_121222759

Don't think anyone would expect them to do a load of work on it unless they're guaranteed to host games. A future rugby world cup bid for example would surely have potential venues in Limerick or Cork as well as Dublin and potentially Casement Park. Part of being awarded these tournaments are often contingent on work yet to be done on stadiums like the new Everton stadium that could run into difficulties of Everton got relegated.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223000#Comment_121223000

Often it is about could they and not at all about would they but about other stuff instead. They put the last soccer World Cup in Qatar, a country the size of Munster, and while they got the stadiums and infrastructure up and running in a rush job it was at a huge human cost with workers lives lost, rights trampled on and health and safety in the construction ignored. Ireland could host events in the future and it can pay and make economic sense and benefit the country to upgrade infrastructure to make it possible. The soccer Euros in 2028 just the beginning, it was supposed to happen a few years ago but Covid messed it up.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121222539#Comment_121222539

PuC is a lovely GAA stadium, but would need major work to hit UEFA standards.

More than that though, it’s just not a question of Casement V another Irish City. As the only NI proposed stadium, Casement is being built to satisfy the UK’s own push to have the tournament include each of its 4 states. If Casement doesn’t happen, the replacement stadium will be in Britain somewhere. (And I’d guess the Irish governmental contribution to Casement will be negligible in comparison to what upgrades to PuC or any other Irish stadium would cost - I’d guess being included in their bid means a hefty chunk of Casements building costs will be coming straight from the UKs significant tournament budget).

It would’ve been nice to have another Irish stadium included, but I’d guess the costs would totally transform Irelands portion of the bill given how little we need to spend with the current plan.

artanevilla

Any upgrade of a current GAA or Rugby ground to UEFA standards would end up being a white elephant. Realistically for a nation our size, one UEFA Cat 4 like we have in Lansdowne Road is more than enough. If that wasn't a dual purpose stadium, it itself would be a bit of a white elephant.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224271#Comment_121224271

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224326#Comment_121224326

Ok. A lot of guesswork and chat about white elephants there. Hopefully it’ll be a success and we’ll get to host some tournament games this time around.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121224677#Comment_121224677

Yeah, even just with Dublin and Belfast there’s a nice bit of football across the island in two fun cities to visit. I really hope the rest of the country gets in on it too, like having public fan zones in city centres and towns.

I was in Austria for the 2008 euros and they were brilliant with this stuff - a little mountain town having a marquee set up with beers that the whole town popped down to every night… love to see a bit of that carnival atmosphere beyond just the host cities.

ebbsy

Also the cost of hotel rooms here as well is a turn off. Imagine how much they will cost in 2028.

cj maxx

It’s basically 96 over again, with the important games in wembly , and lip service paid to Ireland and Scotland. SF’s should be in Dublin and Edinburgh

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225854#Comment_121225854

The Dublin hoteliers must be rubbing their hands in glee.

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226423#Comment_121226423

Wouldnt generate enough income for Uefa bud.

artanevilla

Dan McDonnell made a great point on the LOI Central podcast, the legacy of Euro 2028 in this country will be the "underfunded" GAA getting a brand new stadium.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226423#Comment_121226423

Probably right about that. I think the English FA have used the others because they felt they needed their votes and to get the support to host it as to go it alone wouldn’t have maybe had the popularity needed to win the nomination. Irish football on its knees with a zombie like board in control after the megalomaniac Delaney finally left wouldn’t have had the confidence to barter for a better distribution of the games. Were probably happy to take whatever was offered without any questions.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226567#Comment_121226567

Probably won't make a difference.

June and July are high season for tourism, so occupancy would be high anyway.

They might actually be annoyed that higher spending tourists on longer stays like Americans could be displaced by lower spending soccer fans on shorter stays.

breezy1985

Depending on the match times it could be as good for the less expensive hotels in less touristy areas with train connections to Dublin.

10000maniacs

DUP MP GREGORY Campbell has called on the GAA to “up their game” and for the Irish government to “pony up” around €35 million if Casement Park in Belfast is to be redeveloped.

He reckons if the GAA and the Irish government "pony up", it will give them an opportunity to redevelop Winsor Park and the Kingspan Stadium (Ravenhill)

So in other words, they want The Irish Government and the GAA to pony up for Winsor Park and the Kingspan Stadium as well as Casement Park.

Bare faced cheek. They never miss a trick.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121229239#Comment_121229239

Getting the excuses in early for when it's not done and the only place not hosting is Northern Ireland bit it'll be the fault of everyone but themselves

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121229239#Comment_121229239

Sounds like it will not be happening then.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121230244#Comment_121230244

I doubt any random DUPer's grandstanding will matter much one way or another. In reality the onus is always going to be on the British government to stump up the cash to fund their bid, with the bulk of the money coming from London rather than North or South over here.

breezy1985

Hard for the DUP to stop anything when they refuse to reopen Stormont.

NI fans heard chanting at Windsor Park "you can stick Casement up your h*le. What a nice inclusive bunch they are. Some it seems would like to see the rebuilding of Casement fail if it meant not wanting to go to a match in West Belfast, with no Euro 2028 matches in NI as a consequence.

DM_7

One stadium out

https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2024/0913/1470004-casement-park/

NIMAN

Was never going to happen.

The Rooster

Doesn’t impact Ireland at all though. Only question is whether NI can still be a ‘host’ if it doesn’t host a game? It would seem ridiculous to keep them as a named host, but they will probably create some fudge

Soc_Alt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614180#Comment_122614180

They should be a host as they will qualify for it so need to work something out.

ROI will probably he the only host not actually in the competition.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614190#Comment_122614190

How can they be a host with having 0 games? Even if they qualify, they won't be hosting

Soc_Alt

NI will figure it out.

The Rooster

Not a reality, so for discussion purposes only……

…..there is some fudge done that NI retain host status despite no games there, neither ROI or NI qualify automatically, there is one space available, UEFA say they’re happy if we want to put forward an all island team for these finals….

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614586#Comment_122614586

Great point.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122614586#Comment_122614586

They are great at fudge in NI but that's even beyond their abilities.

citytillidie

Automatic qualification has not been set yet for this but UEFA will not give more that 2 automatic spots

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122616182#Comment_122616182

I hope its not like 2026 - top team qualifies and 2nd + NL to playoffs ???

citytillidie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122616330#Comment_122616330

This is the Qualifying format

ebbsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122616552#Comment_122616552

Short and sweet campaign??

citytillidie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122617018#Comment_122617018

Looks to be the same format for the World Cup qualification

Did you smash it

the sports minister is a fcuking idiot

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122627710#Comment_122627710

Tánaiste is a Cork man, this is just him appealing to cork people to keep his seat secure. Sport minister just doing what his boss told him to do

I think it's more likely that we will see more games in Landsdowne Road, especially if the NI FA have a say in it

breezy1985

UEFA don't give a single fuk about Belfast being on the same island as Cork and Dublin.

There is nothing to suggest that there is and right or will to have these games kept on the island of Ireland.

jacool

I like this quote from Mark Simpson (BBC*) on the debacle around Casement Park.

"Within sporting circles, there is a view held by some that if politicians had worked better together, Casement would have been built by now. One of Belfast’s most popular pastimes is likely to be played in the coming days—the blame game."

*BBC does not stand for Bring Back Casement

AndyBoBandy

Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere, but I presume that with Casement Park out, and therefore no possibility of games being held in NI, does this mean that they are officially out of the bid, and therefore will not be eligible for 1 of the 2 host automatic qualifying places at Euro 2028..

England will clearly qualify as they always do, so are we now only duking it out with Scotland & Wales for the 2 host spots at the tournament? (assuming all 3 of us fail to qualify in our respective qualifiers/Nations League routes).