UK and Ireland submit initial bid to host Euro 2028 – what happens next?

The UK and Ireland have submitted a formal ‘expression of interest’ in hosting Euro 2028.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at what we know about the bid so far.

How did we get here?

The national associations of England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales had been involved in a feasibility study looking at a possible bid for the centenary World Cup finals in 2030.

However, they jointly announced on February 7 their intention to go for Euro 2028 instead.

Why did they do that?

Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the English FA, spoke last month about the greater “uncertainty” surrounding the FIFA process. The bidding regulations for 2030 have not yet been confirmed, while the international calendar beyond 2024 is not yet fixed. The possibility of a switch to biennial World Cups looks increasingly unlikely, but altogether the Euros were deemed the more appealing option.

Who else is in the running?

Prior to their invasion of Ukraine, 2018 World Cup hosts Russia had been reported to be interested, while perennial bidders Turkey were also mentioned. However, the Times reported earlier this week that there were no other formal bids lodged with UEFA with 24 hours to the deadline, appearing to give the UK and Ireland bid a clear run at it. Certainly, no other association has publicly stated an intention to bid.

If it is the sole bid, what happens then?

UEFA is due to confirm bidders on April 5 according to the bidding process information it released last October. If the UK and Ireland bid stands alone, the Times report that the five associations would then have until the end of the year to provide the necessary government guarantees to UEFA on issues such as security, visas and tax exemptions.

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