Ireland could be in line to host the prestigious European Championship for the first time, as it tables an official bid alongside the footballing associations of the UK.
Ireland may be in the front-line to host the 2028 European Championship. It has made an official bid alongside the UK to host the prestigious tournament in six years’ time.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) joined forces with the footballing associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and the North of Ireland to stake their claim to host the tournament.
The joint Irish and UK bid is set to be rivalled by Turkey and Russia. However, it is unclear at the present time how the Russian bid will fare in light of their current ban from international football and tournaments.
What is the European Championship? – footballing class on Irish soil
The European Championship is the premier international football competition for European nations. It is held every four years in different countries across the continent.
The current holders are Italy, who defeated England on penalties in Wembley last year. That rendition of the tournament had been postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19.
Ireland last qualified for the European Championship in 2016, where the team created memories that will last a lifetime.
We will all remember Robbie Brady’s winning header against Italy while the side bowed out bravely to France.
Who else is in the running? – rivals for the Ireland and UK bid to host Euro 2028
On Wednesday, the five associations of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the north of Ireland confirmed that they had submitted an ‘expression of interest’ (EOI) to UEFA, European football’s governing body.
The Turkish Football Federation also confirmed that it had made an “official candidacy application” to host the 2028 Euros. Meanwhile, UEFA confirmed it had also received an application from Russia to rival the Irish and UK bid for Euro 2028.
Ireland and the UK opted to make an application to host the 2028 tournament as it conducted a feasibility study in early February.
This study indicated it was more likely to succeed in its application than for the 2030 World Cup.
What would hosting Euro 2028 mean for Ireland? – reaping the rewards
The Irish Government has provided its official backing to the bid. They stated, “The Government recognises the scale of opportunity jointly hosting Euro 2028 represents”.
Furthermore, Catherine Martin, Minister for Sport, stated, “Hosting Euro 2028 games in Ireland could bring a lot of benefits, not least to Ireland’s tourism sector”. Indeed, there would be many benefits.
A successful staging of the tournament could bring up to 150,000 visitors to the Emerald Isle. With 50% of supporters expected to come from outside the UK and Ireland, there is potential for huge tourism investment.
A final Ireland and UK bid for Euro 2028 is due to be put forward in 2023 to secure the deal. However, this timeline could be sped up if the Irish bid appears to be the more successful.
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