Casement Park in Belfast is unlikely to host European Championship matches in 2028. The head of the Northern Ireland government sees it as a missed opportunity. There is already speculation as to which cities will host the matches that should be played in Belfast.
14.09.2024, 13:33
14.09.2024, 13:57
dpa
Northern Ireland has reacted with great disappointment to the impending loss of the 2028 European Championship. Head of government Michelle O'Neill took to X, formerly Twitter, to describe the British government's decision not to bear the significantly increased costs for the construction of the new Casement Park in Belfast as a "missed opportunity for our sport and our economy". And she announced: "Casement Park will be built."
British MP Paul Maskey also spoke out on "X" and criticized the potential cancellation of the European Championship for Belfast: "It would have been a boost for our local community."
The currently dilapidated arena is the stadium earmarked for the European Championship matches in Northern Ireland. Originally, around 77 million pounds had been budgeted for the new building. However, the costs have risen "dramatically" from 180 million pounds in October 2023 to more than 400 million pounds (474 million euros), according to the British government. It also sees a "significant risk" that the stadium will not be completed in time for the tournament.
When asked by the German Press Agency, UEFA stated that it had taken note of the British government's position. It will be reviewed together with Great Britain and Ireland in order to discuss the impact on the planning of the host cities for the tournament.
"The game is over"
The matches that were to be played at Casement Park will now be split between the other European Championship hosts England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, according to media reports. According to the Times, a UEFA source assumes that the matches will be moved to London's Wembley Stadium, Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Glasgow's Hampden Park and Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
"Game over for Casement: £400m bill ends Northern Ireland's Euro dream," wrote the Belfast Telegraph. The Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) spoke of a "bitter disappointment".
A new stadium would also host traditional Irish ball sports, for which the GAA is the governing body. "This was a tremendous opportunity to create jobs, boost tourism and showcase everything that makes our island and its people special on the world stage," Northern Ireland's head of government O'Neill continued.
