UK Euro 2028 bid includes Hampden Park, but iconic English stadium is not included

Hampden Park is one of ten stadiums included in the United Kingdom and Ireland bid which has been submitted to co-host Euro 2028, but some of the most iconic grounds in England have been missed out.
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Wembley, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, St James' Park, Villa Park and Everton's new stadium – which is still under construction – will all host matches in England, as will Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, which has been preferred to Old Trafford. The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Hampden, Dublin's Aviva Stadium and Casement Park in Belfast – which requires building work – are the other venues being proposed in the bid.

Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, has been used by the Football Association on plenty of previous occasions – including during the rebuild of Wembley, as a venue during the Women's Euro 2022 last summer and for the upcoming men's Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia in June. However, the Etihad Stadium has been selected instead, with the official bid stating a capacity of 61,000, with Manchester City set to increase the current 53,400 seats in due course. Anfield, home of Liverpool, also misses out. Casement Park has stood unused as a major sporting venue since 2013, with development work delayed over funding issues, but has still been included in the 10-stadia bid.

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The only competing bid has come from Turkey, who have put forward a proposal to host either Euro 2028 or Euro 2032. Italy, meanwhile, have submitted a bid to host Euros 2032. UEFA will confirm which bids have been successful in October.

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell and Glasgow City Council's Susan Aitken promote the Euro 2028 bid at Hampden Park. Picture: Alan Harvey / SNSSFA chief executive Ian Maxwell and Glasgow City Council's Susan Aitken promote the Euro 2028 bid at Hampden Park. Picture: Alan Harvey / SNS
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell and Glasgow City Council's Susan Aitken promote the Euro 2028 bid at Hampden Park. Picture: Alan Harvey / SNS

The UK bid submitted by the five national associations includes matches across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with more tickets available than for any previous European Championship finals.

“Our pioneering five-way partnership will deliver a record-breaking and unforgettable UEFA Euro,” Debbie Hewitt, chair of UK and Ireland bid, said in a statement. “We continue to invest £50million (57m euros) annually into grassroots football development across our five associations. Together, we want UEFA Euro 2028 to be the catalyst for a new and sustainable era for football, from the grassroots to the very top of the European game.”

Support from all governments involved in the bid came in the form of a joint statement from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

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The bid carries the slogan 'Football for all, football for good, football for the future', and claims 80 per cent of ticket-holders would be able to travel to matches by public transport. It also predicts benefits of up to £2.6billion for the nations involved.

England last hosted the Euros in 1996, while Hampden Park also hosted matches during the multi-national Euro 2020, played in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Wembley hosted the semi-final and final of Euro 2020. That game was marred by trouble outside the stadium and supporter issues inside Wembley.

Those involved in the Euro 2028 campaign will be hoping those issues will not be factored into UEFA’s decision.