EUR KIDDING
UK and Ireland set to host Euro 2028 in major win for football fans after Turkey pull out of race
THE ENGLAND-led bid to host Euro 28 looks certain of success - after only rivals Turkey announced they now want to co-host the 2032 tournament.
Wembley bosses have long been confident of the success of the five nations British Isles bid, which will see games in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic as well as England.
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Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin has also long been in the British Isles corner, especially after the five home associations withdrew from contention to host the 2030 World Cup, leaving Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to carry the European banner.
The European governing body believes the UK and Ireland bid is a guaranteed money spinner which will provide a major boost to Uefa coffers
Turkey have still not formally withdrawn their bid to host in 2028 and currently remain in the running for the earlier tournament.
But the Turks have recognised the depth and quality of the England-led bid meant their hopes of an upset if the hosting decision went to a vote of Uefa’s ruling executive committee in Nyon were negligible.
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Although a formal decision on hosts for both events will take place on October 10, Uefa’s statement after talks with Turkey and Italy effectively mean there will be just one bid left standing for 2028.
A spokesman for the European confederation said: “Uefa confirms that it has received a request from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to merge their individual bids into one joint bid to host Uefa Euro 2032.
“In 2021, Uefa initiated a bidding process for the hosting of two consecutive editions of its European Championship, in 2028 and 2032.
“TFF entered the process for both editions, while FIGC decided to bid only for the 2032 edition.
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“A joint bid to host the 2028 edition has also been placed by five associations: England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
“Uefa will now work with FIGC and TFF to ensure that the documentation to be submitted for their joint bid is compliant with the bidding requirements.
“If the joint bid does comply with such requirements, it will be submitted to the UEFA Executive Committee at the meeting scheduled on 10 October, where the appointments for 2028 and 2032 will be made.
“Decisions on venues and match schedules will be made at a later stage.”
The Italian FA said it had agreed to merge with Turkey after a “complex and fruitful consultation process”.
While Italy had put forward 10 stadiums for 2032, nine of them would need expensive overhauls to meet Uefa requirements.
Joining forces with Turkey will save BOTH nations millions.
Pointing to the upcoming 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico as well as the UK and Ireland bid, it added: “Those bids show that sharing events of this magnitude represent a route for the direct involvement of a higher number of fans and a more efficient and sustainable design.”
In response a spokesman for the five nations said: “The UK & Ireland Uefa Euro 2028 Bid is aware of a media statement from Uefa regarding Euro 2032.
“We have a very strong bid and look forward to presenting it to Uefa on October 10th as planned.
“As a bidding partnership, our focus is to host an outstanding Uefa Euro 2028 that delivers great benefits for our nations and communities, and for football at home and across Europe.”
The Five Nations bid will see 10 stadiums used across the British Isles, with Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London joined by the Etihad in Manchester, Newcastle’s St James Park, Villa Park and the soon to be completed new Everton stadium in England.
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The other four nations will have one ground each - Hampden in Glasgow, the Principality in Cardiff, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and the reconstructed Casement Park in Belfast.
Under Uefa regulations, all the grounds will be stripped of any sponsorship titles and be branded generically for the tournament.
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