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The Principality Stadium in Cardiff has been included in the UK and Ireland’s bid to host UEFA Euro 2028.
The joint-bid has been submitted to European football’s governing body UEFA by the Football Association of Wales (FAW), alongside its counterparts in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
If the bid is successful, the Principality Stadium will be known as the ‘National Stadium of Wales’ during the tournament for sponsorship reasons.
Meanwhile, Glasgow’s Hampden Park is also included as a host stadium as part of the bid, while Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and a redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast are also in.
Which stadiums are included in the bid?
Wembley Stadium, London – 90,000 capacity
National Stadium of Wales, Cardiff (Principality Stadium) – 73,931
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London – 62,850
City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester (Etihad Stadium) – 53,000, or 62,170 after potential expansion
Everton Stadium, Liverpool – 52,888, under construction
St James’ Park, Newcastle – 52,305
Hampden Park, Glasgow – 51,866
Dublin Arena, Dublin (Aviva Stadium) – 51,700
Villa Park, Birmingham – 42,682, or 50,000 after potential expansion
Casement Park, Belfast – proposed 34,578
The bid has been supported by Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford, who said: “It is with great pleasure that we can support the UK and Ireland bid to host the 2028 UEFA European Championships.
“Together with the FAW and our friends and partners in the other bidding nations, I am confident Wales will rise to this challenge and help host the best UEFA EURO ever.
“Wales has so much to offer as a joint host of UEFA EURO 2028. We look forward to working with the FAW and our UK and Ireland partners to make this exciting vision a reality.”
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Senedd Member Dawn Bowden, who is the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, said: “Football is at the heart of our sporting ambitions – whether that’s hosting the hugely successful UEFA Champions League Final in 2017 or proudly sending Wales off to compete in its first FIFA World Cup finals for more than 60 years.
“We also take great pride in the unprecedented support we provide for the women’s game in Wales, investing in grassroots and youth football across Wales and we are committed to working with partners to use UEFA EURO 2028 as a platform for further investment.”
The winning bid to host the tournament is set to be confirmed in September, with the UK and Ireland bid facing competition from Turkey.
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