News: UK and Republic of Ireland announced as Euro 2028 hosts
UEFA has confirmed that the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland will host the 2028 European Championships.
The joint bid was unopposed after Turkey withdrew to focus on a bid with Italy for Euro 2032, which was also confirmed at a meeting in Switzerland.
Check out this video from FAI TV - YouTube
The UK and Ireland focused on Euro 2028, with UEFA's approval, after they had previously cancelled a plan to be Europe's preferred candidate for the 2030 World Cup.
London's Wembley Stadium and Glasgow's Hampden Park hosted games at Euro 2020. Wembley hosted the final after what proved to be a hugely controversial day where there were reports of carnage and hooliganism outside the stadium.
Matches at Euro 2028 are set to be held at 10 different grounds, including Wembley and Hampden Park alongside Cardiff's Principality Stadium and Dublin's Aviva Stadium. Belfast's Casement Park and Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, the former unbuilt while the latter is still under construction, were also included in the bid.
England were one of the 11 countries to host that tournament along with Scotland. They were also the sole hosts of the 1966 World Cup and Euro '96. England also hosted the record-breaking Women's European Championship in 2022.
The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales have never hosted a major football tournament. This promises to be one of the biggest sporting events ever held in the UK. Following from that Women's competition mentioned earlier, the men's has to do a lot to compete!
Will all of these five nations get an automatic qualification?
In almost all cases, a major tournament usually means the hosts qualify automatically. However, when it comes to this tournament, it appears that this won't be the case.
It has been suggested that England would actually prefer to go through the qualification process as they feel it would give them a better preparation for the tournament.
🏴 England doesn't want automatic qualification for Euro 2028. They want to go through the formal qualification process to better prepare for the tournament. [BBC Sport] pic.twitter.com/vSK8hoNei9
— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) October 10, 2023
What do people think?
Lauren, an England and Chelsea fan, said: "This is amazing news. The buzz of a major international tournament is always incredible. Imagine great cities like Manchester, London and Liverpool hosting these huge matches."
Liam, a Manchester United and England, fan added: "It's a pity that there won't be any matches at Old Trafford, but it's great that England and the rest of the UK will be hosting Euro 2028."
Frank, a Cardiff and Wales fan, was delighted that matches will be played in Wales. He told us: "I am delighted to hear that Wales has been selected as the host country for Uefa Euro 2028 matches following the successful joint bid of the United Kingdom and Ireland. I am sure that, as a nation, we will deliver an unforgettable and spectacular tournament that will showcase the best of this wonderful country."
