The 2028 European Football Championship will be jointly hosted by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, with the subsequent 2032 edition set for Italy and Turkey, as confirmed by UEFA.
European football’s governing body had largely settled on these hosts, especially after Turkey, which had previously expressed interest in the 2028 edition, chose to withdraw its candidacy. This decision made the combined bid of England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales the only contender for the 2028 games.
However, UEFA’s executive committee, which met earlier this week, had to give the official nod to both these hosting proposals.
Interestingly, despite Istanbul hosting the Champions League final this year, Turkey has not had the chance to host any major international football tournaments until now. Their wish will finally be realized after missing out on several past opportunities, most notably by a narrow margin against France for the Euro 2016 games.
There were speculations that Turkey would have faced challenges in a bid for the 2032 edition, especially given concerns over Italy’s capability to complete the extensive infrastructure projects required for the expansive 24-team, 51-match event. Yet, UEFA seems to find stability in allocating five stadiums each to Italy and Turkey, despite its regulations traditionally preferring neighbouring federations as co-hosts. The distance between Rome and Istanbul is about 1,400km, spanning across the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.
UEFA’s recent hosting strategies mark a shift from traditional singular nation hosts. After the multi-nation Euro 2020 project, which saw games played in 11 countries due to the pandemic, the 2028 and 2032 tournaments continue this trend. This direction seems more logistically intricate compared to other major football events, like FIFA’s 2030 World Cup, which spans six countries across three continents.
For Euro 2032, while Italy and Turkey automatically qualify as hosts, UEFA won’t grant automatic qualifications for all five 2028 host nations. Potential solutions include putting them in conventional qualification groups.
Infrastructure for the 2028 edition will see six English stadiums, headlined by Wembley, accompanied by stadiums from clubs like Manchester City, Tottenham, and the upcoming Everton stadium in Liverpool. Other venues include national stadiums from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and a proposed venue in Belfast, Northern Ireland.