New contractor sought for Belfast's Casement Park rebuild ahead of Euro 2028

A new contractor is being sought to rebuild the Casement Park stadium in west Belfast – which has been selected as a location to host Euro 2028 games.

Ulster GAA confirmed on Friday that its long-standing construction contractor will not proceed with the work, but said it was “determined and confident” the derelict stadium would be ready in time for the tournament.

Stormont’s Department for Communities said it was working closely with stakeholders to ensure delivery of the stadium in line with Uefa requirements.

European football’s governing body confirmed last month that the UK and Ireland will jointly host the Euros.

As part of the successful bid, Casement Park has been listed as one of the stadiums where games will be played.

But the site is currently derelict and plans by the GAA to redevelop it with a 34,000 capacity have been mired in controversy and hit by delays.

The project has been delayed by a series of legal challenges and is further complicated by the lack of a functioning Executive at Stormont.

The redevelopment has also been hit by rising costs, with an original projected price tag from almost a decade ago of £77.5 million (€89.3 million) now believed to have spiralled well above £100 million.

The GAA is part-funding the project but has yet to reach an agreement with Stormont on how to cover a multimillion-pound shortfall.

It was announced back in 2013 that the stadium would be rebuilt in a joint venture by the England-based Buckingham Group and the Northern Ireland firm Heron Bros.

In September, the Buckingham Group went into administration and in a statement on Friday, Ulster GAA confirmed Heron Bros would not proceed to deliver the works contract.

It said: “We are working closely with our partners in