The UK and Ireland bid to host Euro 2028 is now unopposed after UEFA announced Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the process.
It means the islands will hold the tournament subject to final approval from UEFA’s executive committee in Switzerland next week.
It comes after Europe’s governing body said it received a request from Italy and Turkey to combine their individual bids for Euro 2032, leaving England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as the sole bidders to stage the 2028 tournament.
Italy has only bid for 2032 but Turkey went for both competitions.
While the development has been met with excitement among British and Irish football fans – concerns have been raised about the capacity of police to handle the event following chaotic scenes at the final of the Euros at Wembley Stadium in 2021.
A statement by European football’s governing body said: “Further to the announcement on 28 July which revealed the desire of the Italian and Turkish FAs to submit a joint bid to stage UEFA EURO 2032, the UEFA administration has today written to both associations to confirm that their joint bid has been duly received and will go forward for assessment and consideration by the UEFA Executive Committee.
“As indicated by the FA of Turkiye with its submission of the request for a joint bid, their bid to stage UEFA EURO 2028 is consequently withdrawn.”
Read more:
UK and Ireland 2028 bid stadium list revealed
If the 2028 bid by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is approved, 10 stadia across the five nations would host matches: Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Etihad Stadium, Everton’s new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, Villa Park and St James’ Park in England, a redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast, the Avia Stadium in the Republic of Ireland, Hampden Park in Scotland and the Cardiff National Stadium in Wales.
The bid has political support across the five nations, with a joint statement on behalf of its leaders in April saying they would be “honoured” to deliver the tournament.