Newcastle United and St James’ Park will host Euro 2028 matches – UEFA formal announcement on bid

UEFA Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday (10 October 2023) morning.

At the meeting they heard the presentation from (sole bidders!) the UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028.

They then also heard a presentation for Euro 2032 from the combined Italy and Turkey bid, also the sold bidders, for that tournament.

Following the presentations and meeting, UEFA formally confirming that both bids had been successful!

It was basically a done deal cooked up previously.

Turkey had originally been bidding against UK and Ireland for Euro 2028 AND also Turkey bidding against Italy for Euro 2032. However, it was then announced (see below) that Turkey had withdrawn from bidding for Euro 2028 and at the same time, made it a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032. Effectively deciding things for UEFA.

So Newcastle United and St James’ Park in just under five years time will be hosting Euro 2028 matches, though sadly, Sunderland and the (Mackem) Stadium of Light were one of those stadiums to drop out during the process, due to the fierce competition from other stadiums.

Hopefully by the time Euro 2028 comes around, St James’ Park will be significantly higher in terms of capacity. Media claims recently that the club is putting together plans to expand SJP to at least 65,000.

The Mag report – 4 October 2023:

Euro 2028 is coming to St James’ Park.

Newcastle United now set to be hosting games when the tournament finals take place in summer 2028.

Sky News with the breaking news (see below) that the UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 has no rival / opposition bid.

Rob Harris of Sky News – 4 October 2023:

“Breaking: UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 now officially has no opposition after Turkey withdrew – after confirmation from UEFA that Turkey can jointly bid (for 2032) with Italy unopposed.

“UEFA ratification next week.”

The Mag – 28 July 2023:

Back in April (2023), the final UK and Republic of Ireland bid was confirmed for Euro 2028.

Newcastle United included in that final bid, with St James’ Park one of ten stadiums that will host matches, if winning the bid.

That final bid (see below) seeing Manchester United and Sunderland amongst those to lose out.

A final decision was expected from UEFA in September 2023 at the latest, with Turkey the rival bidder for Euro 2028. Turkey also one of the bidders for Euro 2032.

Great news that Newcastle Upon Tyne and St James’ Park / Newcastle United would be hosting matches if the bid is successful.

Well, a new statement from UEFA has surely all but guaranteed that Newcastle United / St James’ Park will indeed be one of those hosting Euro 2028 matches.

That new UEFA statement:

“UEFA confirms that it has received today a request from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to merge their individual bids into one joint bid to host UEFA EURO 2032.

“UEFA will now work with FIGC and TFF to ensure that the documentation to be submitted for their joint bid is compliant with the bidding requirements.”

With Turkey now merging their 2032 bid with Italy, I think it fair to say that they are not expecting to win their solo bid against the UK and Republic of Ireland.

UEFA have previously made very clear that they will look favourably on joint bids that ensure a bigger spread for tournaments in terms of countries involved.

Difficult to interpret this statement in any other way than UEFA have made clear they are going to give Euro 2028 to the UK and Republic of Ireland, plus have no doubt ‘suggested’ that it might be a very good idea for Italy and Turkey to merge their 2032 bids into one as well.

One other change / update is that now 10 October 2023 is now claimed to be the day when the host country / countries for Euro 2028 will be announced.

BBC report – 12 April 2023:

‘Belfast’s Casement Park and Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock, two unbuilt stadiums, are in the UK and Republic of Ireland’s joint bid to host Euro 2028.

The 10 grounds also include Glasgow’s Hampden Park, Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, plus English venues Wembley, St James’ Park, Villa Park, the Etihad Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Dublin’s Aviva Stadium has also made the final shortlist.

Turkey is the other candidate to host the men’s tournament in June and July.

Fourteen stadiums were originally on the shortlist submitted to Uefa by the five football associations from the UK and the Republic last year.

Old Trafford – which has the highest capacity in England after Wembley, the Stadium of Light, the London Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park are the four to be dropped from the list.

“High-capacity, world-famous football grounds and state-of-the-art new venues will provide the platform for the biggest and most commercially successful Euros ever – making us a low risk, high reward host,” said an FA statement.

The bid has been backed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf and Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford, who said it would be the “biggest sporting event our islands have ever jointly staged”.

Host stadiums

1. Wembley Stadium (London) (capacity 90,652)

2. Principality Stadium (Cardiff) (73,952)

3. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London) (62,322)

4. Etihad Stadium (Manchester) (61,000)

5. Everton Stadium (Liverpool) (52,679)

6. St James’ Park (Newcastle) (52,305)

7. Villa Park (Birmingham) (52,190)

8. Hampden Park (Glasgow) (52,032)

9. Aviva Stadium (Dublin) (51,711)

10. Casement Park (Belfast) (34,500)

Work has not yet started on a 34,500-capacity stadium planned for the Casement Park site, which has not been in use since 2013.

The stadium has primarily been a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) venue and redevelopment has been subject to a legal challenge.

Windsor Park, where Northern Ireland play their home matches, does not meet minimum capacity requirements.

Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock, expected to host around 53,000 spectators, is under construction and expected to be built by 2024.

Earlier this year, Everton owner Farhad Moshiri revealed that costs for the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium could amount to £760m – a £260m increase on figures quoted by the club last year.

A decision on who will host the 2028 Euro finals is expected to be made by Uefa’s executive committee in September, with work on all potential host stadiums to begin by at least the summer of 2024, four years before the tournament.

The UK and the Republic say in their bid a record three million tickets will be made available while “sustainability and good governance practice” are “top priorities”.

They say more than 80% of ticket holders able to travel to matches by public transport and claim it will generate £2.6bn combined for the nations’ economies

A review into disorder at the Euro 2020 final, held in London at Wembley, found “ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs” could have caused death as they stormed the stadium.

Turkey’s bid is also for 2032. Italy has also submitted a bid to host that edition.’