UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 set to be unopposed

Turkey, which also bid for the 2028 tournament, and Italy have asked for their rival bids to Euro 2032 to be merged.

The UK and Ireland’s joint bid to host Euro 2028 is set to be unopposed.

It comes after  UEFA  said it received a request from Italy and Turkey to merge their individual bids for Euro 2032 into a combined one, leaving  England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland  as the sole bidders to stage the 2028 tournament.

Italy has only bid for 2032 but Turkey went for both competitions.

A statement by European football’s governing body said: “UEFA will now work with FIGC [the Italian Football Federation] and TFF [the Turkish Football Federation] to ensure that the documentation to be submitted for their joint bid is compliant with the bidding requirements.

“If the joint bid does comply with such requirements, it will be submitted to the UEFA Executive Committee at the meeting scheduled on 10 October, where the appointments for 2028 and 2032 will be made.

“Decisions on venues and match schedules will be made at a later stage.”

The Italian federation said the decision to bid jointly with Turkey for 2032 had been reached following a “complex and fruitful consultation process”.

FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said: “We are facing a historic turning point that aims to enhance continental football. Football wants to be an ideal bridge for sharing passions and emotions related to sport.”

The FIGC said if the joint bid was deemed compliant, a decision on host venues would be postponed.

If the 2028 bid by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is successful, 10 stadia across the five nations would host matches:

Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Etihad Stadium, Everton’s new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, Villa Park and St James’ Park in England, a redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast, the Dublin Arena in the Republic of Ireland, Hampden Park in Scotland and the Cardiff National Stadium in Wales.

“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 when the final plan was submitted in April.

The bid has political support across the five nations, with a joint statement on behalf of its leaders in April saying they would be “honoured” to deliver the tournament.