The UK and Republic of Ireland will host the 2028 European Championship, Uefa confirms at a meeting in Switzerland.
The joint bid ran unopposed after Turkey withdrew to focus on a bid with Italy for Euro 2032, which was also confirmed at a meeting in Switzerland.
The UK and Ireland focused on Euro 2028, with Uefa’s approval, after they ended a plan to be Europe’s preferred candidate for the 2030 World Cup.
London’s Wembley Stadium and Glasgow’s Hampden Park hosted games at Euro 2020.
Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney said he would “like the national stadium of Wales to host the opening match” but that it is “up to Uefa” to decide.
“To bring the tournament to Wales is a special day for us,” he said. “We’re excited. We’ve put forward a schedule of matches, we think Cardiff is perfect for the opener and we look forward to it.
“We hope by hosting, and having these big matches in Cardiff, we can bring Wales to the world in a way it hasn’t been before.”
Former Wales captain Gareth Bale, who attended the presentation in Nyon, added: “For me as a Welshman, I would love for Cardiff to host the opening match. We have the stadium and infrastructure for it.”
The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales have never hosted a major football tournament.
Matches at Euro 2028 are set to be held at 10 different grounds, including Wembley, Hampden Park, Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Belfast’s Casement Park and Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, the former unbuilt while the latter is still under construction, were also included in the bid.
England were one of the 11 countries to host Euro 2020 along with Scotland, as well as being sole hosts of the 1966 World Cup and Euro ’96. England also hosted the record-breaking Women’s European Championship in 2022.
While Italy had only bid for the 2032 tournament, Turkey had initially bid to host both Euro 2028 and 2032.
Turkey withdrew from the running to host Euro 2028 last week after their bid with Italy for 2032 was approved by European football’s governing body.
They have 20 potential host stadiums, of which 10 will be chosen, five per country, by October 2026.
Turkey hosted June’s Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, but a major international tournament has never been held in the country.
European champions Italy hosted the Euros in 1968 and 1980, while Rome’s Stadio Olimpico was also used as a venue at Euro 2020.
Germany will host Euro 2024 with the most recent championship being played in 2021 instead of 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Will all five home nations get automatic qualification?
Staging a major tournament usually means the hosts qualify automatically.
But, when it comes to co-hosting, qualification for all five host nations is not guaranteed.
In its bid guidelines, Uefa says: “In case of more than two joint-host associations, the automatic qualification of all the host teams cannot be guaranteed and shall be subject to a decision to be made in conjunction with decisions concerning the qualifying competition.”
It is unlikely Uefa will offer more than two places, so three could miss out.
There has been some talk of all five nations trying to qualify with two ‘backstop’ qualification spots available for those who miss out, with either the highest-ranking nations who failed to qualify going through, or the two sides that come closest to qualifying.
However, it has been said that there are some reservations within Uefa about offering a ‘backdoor’ entry to nations who have failed to qualify, as well as its potential impact on the normal qualifying process.
BBC Sport understands the Football Association wants England to reach Euro 2028 via the formal qualifying process, rather than be handed an automatic slot by Uefa.
This is because it believes it would provide the team with better preparation for the tournament than a series of friendlies.
“I think every team would want to qualify on merit, want to go in playing well,” said Bale.
“Coming through in a campaign, going into the tournament you’ve got confidence behind you. Those two back-up spots are there just in case. It’s important all teams try and qualify and do the best they can and hopefully they all do it automatically anyway.”
UK and Ireland Euro 2028 host stadiums
Will Casement Park & Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock stadium be built in time?
In April, 10 grounds were selected for the UK and Republic of Ireland’s bid.
The proposed redevelopment of Belfast’s Casement Park site, which is due to be a 34,500-capacity stadium after initial plans for a 38,000-seater were rejected, has been hindered by a number of setbacks since first being suggested about a decade ago, including long-running legal challenges.
Work on building it has yet to begin but it is hoped it will be ready two years before the tournament.
Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock stadium is set to be finished in late 2024.
Apart from Casement Park, all of the host stadiums will be able to hold more than 50,000 with some grounds, like Etihad Stadium, expanding to increase capacity further.
Wembley staging the final in 2028 will be a major test for the 90,000-capacity venue after the chaos surrounding its hosting of the Euro 2020 final.
A review into disorder at the final found “ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs” could have caused death as they stormed the stadium.
When will tickets be available?
The FA says almost three million tickets will be available for the tournament, more than any previous European Championship, but has not announced when they will be on sale.
The FA also estimates 2.5 million fans will take part in Uefa festivals across the UK and Ireland.
What about sustainability?
Events hosted by multiple nations have been criticised because of their carbon footprint.
The FA says more than 80% of match-attending fans will be able to travel to matches by public transport and that the match schedule will be constructed in a way which reduces emissions.
It also says it will launch a personal carbon footprint tracker for fans and adhere to Uefa’s major event human rights principles to ensure an “inclusive, discrimination-free and equal work environment for colleagues and volunteers”.
What happened at Euro 2020?
It was just two years ago that England and Scotland hosted matches at the delayed Euro 2020 with the final held at London’s Wembley and the nation will be keen to right the wrongs of that event.
The final descended into chaos and a review into the disorder found “ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs” could have caused death as they stormed the stadium.
The report by Baroness Casey said there was a “collective failure” in planning for the match, which about 2,000 people got into illegally.
It identified 17 mass breaches of disabled access gates and emergency fire doors.
Lady Casey said the “appalling scene of disorder” led to a “day of national shame”.
The Metropolitan Police made 51 arrests connected to the final, 26 of which were at Wembley, as Italy beat England on penalties to become European champions.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were also racially abused on social media after the game.
England were ordered to play one match behind closed doors and the FA fined 100,000 euros by Uefa as punishment for the unrest.
FA chair Debbie Hewitt said the Euro final was a “sad day for English football”.
“We did an independent review after that tournament and thought very hard about the security, it comes first,” she added.
“Fans come first, if they don’t feel safe in a tournament that’s not a great place to be. We want the reputation to host the most safe tournament, the most enjoyable.”
‘Inspire a whole new generation’ – reaction
It is predicted that the tournament will generate up to £2.6m (3 billion euros) in cumulative socio-economic benefits for the UK and Ireland with the aim of improving grassroots facilities.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: “I grew up with Euro ’96 being one of the most amazing memories of my childhood. And we have a chance to do that all over again for lots more people just like we did last year with the Lionesses. We host tournaments better than anyone else. It’s going to be a massive boost for the economy. We’re going to welcome millions of people to the country, and it’s going to inspire a whole new generation.”
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford: “Fantastic to hear that Wales will host Uefa Euro 2028 matches following the successful joint UK and Ireland bid. Together, we’ll deliver an unforgettable and spectacular tournament – showcasing the best Cymru has to offer.”
Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf: “Football is Scotland’s national game and a powerful force for good in communities right across the country. Hosting the Euros in Scotland will provide a range of opportunities, not only through the economic benefits of visiting fans but through a strong legacy programme that will help grow a more inclusive and diverse game right across the country.”
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar: “I am over the moon that Ireland and the UK will co-host Euro 2028. Congratulations to FA Ireland and all involved in winning the bid. It will be the biggest event ever hosted by our two islands working together.”
