The European Championships will be held in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in 2028.
Should Euro 2028 organizers need to find a new host stadium, Leeds United’s Elland Road would be a “attractive proposition,” according to football financial specialist Kieran Maguire. Ten locations in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland have been chosen to host the competition; initially, Yorkshire was not considered as a possible location.
The Times said that there is worry that Belfast’s Casement Park won’t be finished in time for the competition. The stadium hasn’t been used since June 2013 and has to be renovated before it can be deemed suitable for the 2028 European Championship.
The organizers might have to reconsider if the Belfast stadium isn’t ready, and they might have to choose a different location. Elland Road, which has a comparable capacity but needs some remodeling of its own, might be taken into consideration in such a situation, according to Maguire.
Maguire told Football Insider, “There will be a number of clubs throwing their hats into the ring if the Belfast stadium isn’t available for 2028.”
The owners of West Ham won’t be very interested in becoming involved because, should the London Stadium be used, all proceeds will benefit the landlords rather than the team.
However, Elland Road would be a desirable offer. Other teams with stadiums that can hold more than 30,000 people would undoubtedly be eager to offer their names as potential host locations.
“It would also motivate those teams considering stadium development to move quickly and complete their project by 2028.”
The Etihad Stadium, Wembley Stadium, St. James’ Park, Hampden Park, Principality Stadium, Aviva Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Villa Park, and the still-unfinished Everton Stadium are among the nine other stadiums chosen to host the tournament in four years.
