Costs explode

Venue for the next EURO is shaky!

This is what Casement Park in Belfast looked like in spring 2024.(Bild: APA/AFP/Paul ELLIS)

The Northern Ireland venue for the 2028 European Football Championship is in doubt. The new British Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn said during a visit to Belfast that the Casement Park stadium planned for the European Championships would definitely be built. However, due to the exploding costs, it is uncertain whether it will be completed on time.

Casement Park was built after the Second World War as a venue for Irish sports such as Gaelic football and hurling. The stadium fell into disrepair and there have been plans for a new building for years. In the successful bid by England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland for Euro 2028, it was chosen over Windsor Park, the home ground of the Northern Irish national team. Five matches are to be held in Belfast.

Financing not yet secured
The stadium construction is "probably the most pressing matter" on his desk, said Benn. However, the financing is still not secured. "There is a certain amount in the pot, but it is not enough to cover the additional costs," said the minister. He could not give a timetable at present.

Hilary BennNorthern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn(Bild: Associated Press)

Costs are exploding
The original estimate was around 77 million pounds (90.8 million euros). According to media reports, the sum has now risen to 308 million pounds (364.01 million euros).

At Euro 2028, matches are to be held in all parts of the United Kingdom as well as in the Irish capital Dublin. Six of the ten stadiums at the tournament will be in England, including Wembley Stadium in London as the final venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They will be joined by the home grounds of Manchester City, Newcastle United and Aston Villa in Birmingham and the as yet unfinished new Everton FC stadium in Liverpool. In addition, matches will be played in Cardiff, Glasgow and Dublin - although Belfast, the only Northern Irish venue, is now in doubt.

According to the soccer associations, more than three million tickets will be available for the tournament - more than ever before at a European Championship. On average, the stadiums in which the matches will be played will have a capacity of 58,000 spectators.