The UK and Ireland has today been confirmed as hosts of UEFA EURO 2028.
Following a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, as a unique and pioneering five-Association partnership, was awarded the 2028 Tournament.
The ExCo decision took place after a presentation by the UK and Ireland Football Association leaders and Welsh football star, Gareth Bale.
The UK and Ireland bid delegation also included six football youth ambassadors who play an active role supporting the development and diversity of the game in their local communities.
Gareth Bale and the youth ambassadors received the UEFA EURO 2028 pennant from UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin, to officially mark the awarding of the Tournament to the UK and Ireland.
UEFA EURO 2028 UK & Ireland will be the largest major sporting event the nations have ever jointly staged – an exciting summer of football that will create memories to last a lifetime.
The UEFA EURO 2028 bid was successful thanks to its clear and compelling vision to help domestic and European football grow a more diverse and inclusive game, connect with new audiences and inspire the next generation of players, fans and volunteers. The UK and Ireland expressed this vision as ‘Football for all. Football for good. Football for the future’.
The UK and Ireland was also awarded the Tournament based on the nations’ collective wealth of operational experience and world-class technical facilities – with a long track-record of staging successful major sporting events, including the ground-breaking UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
UEFA EURO 2028 UK & Ireland promises commercial success by delivering record-breaking crowds with high-capacity, world-famous football grounds and state-of-the-art new venues:
– Approximately three million tickets available – more than any previous UEFA EURO
– Average stadia capacity of 58,000 so more fans than ever before will attend matches
– Matches hosted around our nations and regions to reach as many communities as possible
– Creating safe, family-friendly and fun experiences, we estimate 2.5 million fans will take part in UEFA Festivals across the UK and Ireland
The UK and Ireland partnership also has strong sustainability strategies, which will be developed further in the lead up to 2028:
– Compact and connected transport plan – more than 80 per cent of ticket holders able to travel to matches by public transport
– Proposed match schedule to reduce emissions
– Launching a personal carbon footprint tracker for every spectator and proposing plans for carbon reduction
– Adhering to UEFA’s major event human rights principles to ensure an inclusive, discrimination-free and equal work environment for colleagues and volunteers
To mark the bid victory at home, the captains of the men’s national football teams joined local youth players to celebrate the announcement.
The UK and Ireland Football Associations are delighted that Government Partners fully support the delivery of UEFA EURO 2028. With the Governments’ once-in-a-generation legacy investment, this is a significant opportunity to transform football development and generate meaningful economic, environmental and social benefits:
– UEFA EURO 2028 is predicted to generate cumulative socio-economic benefits of up to £2.6 billion (€3 billion) for the UK and Ireland*
– Bid partners have already invested or committed more than £500 million (€567 million) between 2019 and 2025 to improve and upgrade grassroots facilities – with the aim of expanding investment programmes as UEFA EURO 2028 approaches
– A further £45 million (€51 million) legacy fund will be invested to develop football and create additional benefits
The UK and Ireland thanks UEFA for its confidence to award UEFA EURO 2028 to the five-Association partnership, and congratulates Italy and Turkey on their appointment for UEFA EURO 2032.
Across the UK and Ireland, celebrations are underway as players, fans and local communities can look forward to an outstanding festival of summer football at UEFA EURO in 2028.
Source : Thefa
