THE PROPOSED JOINT bid between Ireland and the UK to host Euro 2028 has confirmed that the unbuilt GAA stadium at Casement Park in Belfast is among the 14 stadia on its shortlist of 14 venues.

They must be whittled down to 10 by April 2023, with Dublin’s Croke Park and Aviva Stadium the other two grounds as part of the FAI’s offering.

Northern Ireland’s Windsor Park does not meet the criteria of a minimum 33,000 seats to be among the venues included, with nine stadiums in England making up the majority of the bid.

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and Glasgow’s Hampden Park are on offer from Wales and Scotland, respectively, and a statement from the five associations hailed the collaborative nature.

“We are delighted that Government Partners of Ireland, the UK, Scotland, Wales, and officials in Northern Ireland, support this bid. Together, we believe we can deliver a world-class tournament, and that hosting UEFA EURO 2028 will achieve a strong and sustainable legacy for football and wider society, helping to drive economic growth in local communities.

“Working with UEFA, our plan is to host a tournament that will be a catalyst for transformational grassroots football development – with a promise to share legacy initiatives with European National Associations to accelerate growth across the continent.

“Ireland and the UK’s track record of hosting successful major sporting events over many decades means we have the expertise and experience to take this world-class tournament to new heights.”

Turkey is the only rival bid in contention.

The full list is as follows:

Aviva Stadium and Croke Park (Dublin), Casement Park (Belfast); Hampden Park (Glasgow); St James’ Park (Newcastle), Stadium of Light (Sunderland), Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium (Manchester), Everton Stadium (Liverpool), Villa Park (Birmingham), Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Stadium (London); Principality Stadium (Cardiff).