GAA approves Croke Park and Casement Park inclusion in Euro 2028 bid

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The GAA has granted permission for Croke Park and Casement Park to be included in the UK and Ireland Euro 2028 bid.

“At a meeting of GAA Central Council today permission was granted to allow Croke Park and Casement Park to be included in a formal bid for the 2028 European Soccer Championships,” the GAA said.

Casement Park is a Gaelic sports venue in Belfast which is in the process of being redeveloped.

The redevelopment of the 34,000-plus capacity venue in the west of the city has been mired in controversy.

The last projected build cost for Casement Park stadium was £110 million (€124 million), having originally been estimated at £77.5 million when the plan was first drawn up.

However, it is expected the delay caused by a court challenge combined with soaring inflation rates could see the final cost reach well in excess of £110 million.

Fourteen venues across five countries have been shortlisted by the UK and Ireland bid team to host matches at Euro 2028.

Nine English stadia are on the list, which has been submitted in a preliminary bid dossier to tournament organisers Uefa, while there are two in the Republic of Ireland and one each in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Aviva Stadium and Croke Park are the shortlisted venues in Dublin, while the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and Hampden Park in Glasgow complete the list.

The final list of 10 stadia is to be submitted to Uefa in April.