UK and ROI to Make Joint Euro 2028 Bid
A potential 2030 World Cup hosting bid has been abandoned, the BBC reports. Instead, the UK and the Republic of Ireland football associations have agreed to work together on a bid to jointly host Euro 2028.
According to reports, a feasibility study costing £2.8m has been carried out into a joint 2030 World Cup bid, which last year was enthusiastically backed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. However, that has now been ruled out, despite being included on the Conservative 2019 election manifesto.
A joint statement on the change of direction said: “Hosting a Uefa Euro offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner. It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host Euro 2028 and to welcome all of Europe.”
It continued: “It would also be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the true impact of hosting a world-class football tournament by driving positive change and leaving a lasting legacy across our communities.”
The associations representing the five nations of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the ROI have agreed to go ahead with the Euro 2028 bid, despite the crowd trouble at the Wembley Stadium final last year. If the bid is successful, it will be the first time that Wales, Northern Ireland, and the ROI have hosted the Euros.
The deadline for submitting bids is 12 April 2023, with the announcement of the host by UEFA expected on 23 September 2023. According to Sky Sports, UEFA is considering increasing the size of the European Championship in 2028 to 32 teams, from the 24 who competed in the 2020 tournament.
The England team, managed by Gareth Southgate, reached the final of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, where they lost to Italy on penalties.
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