da betway： Football FanCast updates you with all the latest news surrounding EURO 2028.
da betcris： With Germany set to host the showpiece event next summer, attention will turn to the next two editions and UEFA have today confirmed the hosts.
Here, FFC takes a detailed dive into the 2028 tournament and the elected hosts' bid.
Who is hosting EURO 2028?
The hosts of EURO 2028 will be UK & Ireland, as announced by UEFA on 10th October.
It's worth noting that UEFA is reportedly not expected to offer five automatic qualification places for the tournament. England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are all due to play host, but UEFA aren't keen on allowing more than two nations guaranteed spots in the group stages.
Even with the tournament potentially increasing to 32 teams from 24, it remains unlikely their stance will soften.
And agreeing which two of the five nations should be granted automatic qualification would be messy, with each unlikely to give up their spot.
So, as it stands, all five nations will have to go through the standard qualifying procedure in order to gain entry to the tournament.
Who was bidding to host EURO 2028?
UEFA announced in April that they had received bids from the United Kingdom and Ireland, who submitted a joint proposal, and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).
Italy had been previously named as a potential host, however, despite initial interest, the federation decided to bid for 2032 instead, allowing more time to redevelop facilities.
The TTF, however, withdrew their application after UEFA confirmed their joint bid with Italy for 2032 will be unopposed. The governing body released a statement on Wednesday morning, which read: "Further to the announcement on July 28 which revealed the desire of the Italian and Turkish FAs to submit a joint bid to stage Euro 2032, the UEFA administration has today written to both associations to confirm that their joint bid has been duly received and will go forward for assessment and consideration by the UEFA Executive Committee.
"As indicated by the FA of Turkiye with its submission of the request for a joint bid, their bid to stage Euro 2028 is consequently withdrawn.
"The award of both tournaments still requires the approval of the Executive Committee at its meeting in Nyon on 10 October. The presentations at that meeting will be an important part of the process which will take due consideration of the content of the bid submissions before reaching a decision."
UEFA declared Russia's 2028 and 2032 bids ineligible.
Which stadiums are EURO 2028 venues?
As part of the requirements to host, nations must have a minimum of one stadium with a net seating capacity of at least 60,000, one (preferably two) stadiums with at least 50,000, four stadiums with at least 40,000 and three stadiums with at least 30,000.
As such, the UK and Ireland put forward the following venues:
Wembley Stadium
90,000
Principality Stadium
74,500
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
62,850
Everton Stadium
52,888
Etihad Stadium
52,400
St James' Park
52,305
Villa Park
42,640
Hampden Park
51,866
Aviva Stadium
51,700
Casement Park
31,661
The second-largest stadium in England, Old Trafford, will not host any matches due to potential redevelopment works. Meanwhile, Croke Park – the biggest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 82,300 – is also not among the proposed venues 'due to the way the UEFA process works'.
What are the positives of the UK-Ireland hosting?
The UK's bid dossier placed on record a willingness to adhere to UEFA's major event human rights principles, whilst 'sustainability' and 'good governance' are also paramount.
With the aim to reduce emissions, matches will be scheduled accordingly to ensure the tournament is as eco-friendly as possible. More than 80% of ticket holders will be able to travel to the matches using public transport.
Almost three million tickets will be available in total, which is more than all of the previous tournaments, potentially making it the biggest commercially successful UEFA EURO ever.
Additionally, the proposed slogan sets out a clear inclusivity message: 'Football for all. Football for good. Football for the future.'
The tournament planners clearly carried out their due diligence, having initially undertaken a feasibility study looking at the possibility of bidding for the 2030 World Cup, before focusing their attention on EURO 2028.
What were the drawbacks of the UK-Ireland hosting?
On 11th July 2021, Wembley Stadium hosted the EURO final between England and Italy. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of crowd trouble which later resulted in a review of the incidents.
Led by Louise Casey, the FA-commissioned report found that more than 2,000 people gained access to Wembley without a ticket and crowds of 6,000 outside of the stadium were waiting to charge the gates should England have won.
“I am clear that the primary responsibility for what went wrong at Wembley that day lies with those who lost control of their own behaviour that day, not with anyone who did their best but lost control of the crowd.
“Nevertheless, there are always lessons to be learned. No one was fully prepared for what happened that day and it can’t be allowed to happen again,” Casey said.
Measures will need to be put in place to avoid such disorder once more, and UEFA will certainly be wary of trouble unfolding again.
What were the drawbacks of Turkey's bid?
The NGTC Group, experts in crowd management, reported several issues on matchday when the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul staged the 2023 Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter.
Some supporters were left waiting for shuttle buses to the stadium for up to three hours and the buses were said to be overcrowded, with poor air conditioning and no available toilets. The journey to the stadium was initially estimated to take one hour but stretched up to two and a half hours.
Additionally, the fan park was reportedly insufficient, with issues relating to catering, toilets and seating for the less able. The stadium also had sharp edges around the rim of low-lying seating, which resulted in injury for some.
Reports of unstable rubble walkways, lack of lighting and absent staff members also provided cause for concern when fans were returning to the shuttle buses after the match had finished.
In summary, there were likely question marks surrounding the organisation of Turkey's bid.
What were the deciding factors?
Both nations are common venues for major sporting events and the stadia was certainly a highlight of both bids.
The TFF is clearly eager to host having gone through this process several times over the last two decades, and their hunger to deliver a premier tournament will no doubt result in a tireless effort to be as hospitable as possible.
However, the UK and Ireland were always well-placed to have their bid accepted in favour of Turkey and that notion has today been confirmed by UEFA.
The UK and Ireland were clearly appealing hosts for the governing body given the high average stadia capacity, thus generating more revenue in gate receipts.
Their proposal also cites an ability to offer public transport for the majority of match-goers, which could be crucial for the fan experience.
Notwithstanding that, it also means a reduction in emissions, which will allow UEFA to centre their public relations strategy around being an eco-friendly tournament.
Meanwhile, the record-breaking UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, which was held in England, demonstrates the nation's capacity to host a huge global sporting tournament.
The joint bid also presents fans with the opportunity to experience five different nations, along with their respective cultures and communities.
So, all things considered, the UK & Ireland's tireless effort to host the showpiece tournament in 2028 has been well worth it, and the concrete planning will now commence following the official announcement.