UK, Ireland Set To Host Euro 2028 As Turkey Withdraws From Bid

A joint bid from the United Kingdom and Ireland to host Euro 2028 is now unrivaled after Turkey withdrew from the bidding process, UEFA revealed on Wednesday.

Britain and Ireland shelved plans to bid to host the 2030 World Cup to focus on staging the European Championship and their bid was already the favourite for the 2028 tournament.

European football’s governing body is due to announce the hosts of the 2028 and 2032 Euros at a meeting of its executive committee next Tuesday.

Turkey, which has bid unsuccessfully to stage every Euro going back to 2008, was initially a candidate for both 2028 and 2032.

However, in July it agreed to join Italy in a bid for the 2032 edition, without stating at the time if it would pull out of the running for 2028.

On Wednesday UEFA revealed that Turkey was focusing all its efforts on the joint bid with Italy.

“As indicated by the FA of Turkey with its submission of the request for a joint bid, their bid to stage UEFA Euro 2028 is consequently withdrawn,” the body said.

That means the decision on both editions should be a formality, with the UK and Ireland unopposed for 2028 and Italy and Turkey having no rivals for 2032.

England, which hosted the women’s Euro last year, last hosted a men’s major tournament at Euro 96, when it involved just 16 teams.

It also hosted the final of the 24-team Euro 2020, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, at Wembley.