What is the Euro Championship?
The Euro is an informal name for the UEFA European Football Championship, a tournament for men’s national teams in Europe. Organised by UEFA, it decides Europe’s champion, and the winner qualifies for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The tournament occurs every four years and was originally called the European Nations Cup until 1968. Moreover, all UEFA nations, except the host, must go through a qualifying process to participate. Germany and Spain have won three titles, while several other countries have won once. Now, let's consider what to expect in the upcoming euro 2028.
Euro 2028 hosts: UK and Ireland
The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland will host the UEFA Euro 2028. The UEFA selected the joint bid from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland last October 10, 2023. This will mark the first time that Northern Ireland and Wales host Euro matches.
Additionally, England will host the tournament for the third time, having done so in 1996 and at Euro 2020. Scotland will also host matches for the second time. Thus, this event will bring excitement as new locations participate in the championship. England’s feat in bidding and hosting the tournament is a testament to the country’s effective contract management especially in hosting an event such as the Euro Championship.
How did the hosts secure their bid for Euro 2028?
The UK and Ireland secured their bid for Euro 2023 after Turkey withdrew. This situation highlights the importance of negotiations in the bidding process. Initially, there were three bids, including Russia and Turkey. However, UEFA deemed Russia ineligible due to the invasion, allowing the UK and Ireland to proceed. The announcement of the Euro 2028 hosting was held in Switzerland last October.
Proposed tournament dates and venues for Euro 2028
Euro 2028 will likely take place from June 9 to July 9, 2028. In total, the tournament will have ten host stadiums across the UK and Ireland. These are:
- Wembley (capacity: 90,652)
- Principality Stadium (capacity: 73,952)
- Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (capacity: 62,322)
- Etihad Stadium (capacity: 61,000)
- Everton Stadium (capacity: 52,679)
- St James' Park (capacity: 52,305)
- Villa Park (capacity: 52,190)
- Hampden Park (capacity: 52,032)
- Aviva Stadium (capacity: 51,711)
- Casement Park (capacity: 34,500)
What happens with tickets?
The Football Association plans to offer nearly three million tickets for Euro 2028, more than any previous tournament. However, they have not announced when ticket sales will start. Furthermore, they expect more than 2.5 million fans to attend the UEFA festival across the UK and Ireland. The sports minister aims to keep ticket prices affordable for children and low-income fans. As a result, talks between the government and UEFA will be held to ensure that many fans can enjoy the event.
Moreover, the English Football Association is committed to making the tournament affordable, offering many low-cost “Category 4” tickets. Ticket sales and balloting are likely to begin in 2027, about nine months before the tournament. For comparison, during the Euro 2024 in Germany, most tickets were available for fans. They sold over 80% of 2.7 million tickets to the general public, with many priced under €60 (£51). Ultimately, this effort aims to include as many supporters as possible in the excitement of Euro 2028.
Euro 2028 Format and Qualifying Rules
They will announce the complete competition rules by 2026. In summary, the format will follow the one used since Euro 2016, with 24 teams entering the group stage. The two top teams from each of the six groups will advance, along with the four best third-placed teams, leading to knock-out rounds.
The new qualifying format will feature 12 groups of four or five teams, running from March to November 2027. Consequently, group winners will qualify directly, while runners-up may either qualify automatically or face playoffs. This format will resemble the one used in previous tournaments.
Generally, teams usually qualify for the European Championship, with hosts getting automatic spots. However, UEFA generally allows only two host nations to qualify automatically. The British and Irish Football Associations are waiting for a final decision as UEFA has yet to finalise the rules regarding automatic spots for co-hosts. It is unlikely they will allow more than two nations to qualify automatically. If all host nations go through qualification, it will provide them with crucial match practise. In case some teams do not qualify, two backup spots will be available based on specific criteria. Ultimately, UEFA will decide how to allocate these spots if multiple nations fail to qualify. The hosts that will qualify will be placed in Pot 1 during the tournament draw. This setup will help avoid local matchups in the group stages.
Euro 2032 Hosts: Italy and Turkey
UEFA 2032 will be hosted by Italy and Turkey, as decided by the UEFA Executive Committee. This marks the sixth time the tournament has occured in multiple countries. Euro 2028 is set for the UK and the Republic of Ireland. For instance, previous multi-nation tournaments include those in Belgium and the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland, and Poland and Ukraine. More recently, Euro 2020 took place across 11 countries in 2021.
Italy will host the Euro matches for the fourth time, having previously held the tournament in 1968 and 1980. Rome’s Stadio Olimpico hosted matches during Euro 2020. In contrast, it will be Turkey’s first time to host the event. Moreover, both countries express pride in their Mediterranean culture and shared commitment to this partnership.
Their bid proposes 20 stadiums, from which 10 will be selected to host matches, five in each country. Proposed venues are:
Italy:
- Juventus Stadium (capacity: 41,507)
- San Siro (capacity: 75,817)
- Stadio Olimpico (capacity: 70 634)
- Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (capacity: 54 726)
- Stadio San Nicola (capacity: 58 270)
- Stadio Luigi Ferraris (capacity: 33 205)
- Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi (capacity: 39 211)
- Stadio Renato Dall'Ara (capacity: 30 325)
- Stadio Artemio Franchi (capacity: 40 000)
- Stadio Cagliari (capacity: 30 000)
Turkey:
- Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium (capacity: 47 834)
- Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex (capacity: 52 280)
- Atatürk Olympic Stadium (capacity: 74 753)
- Bursa Metropolitan Stadium (capacity: 43 361)
- Ankara Stadium (capacity: 45 000)
- Gaziantep Stadium (capacity: 33 502)
- Şenol Güneş Sports Complex (capacity: 40 782)
- Konya Metropolitan Stadium (capacity: 42 000)
- Antalya Stadium (capacity: 32 537)
- Eskişehir Atatürk Stadium (capacity: 34 930)
Overall, both Italy and Turkey have extensive experience hosting major sporting events, including matches at Stadio Olimpico during Euro 2020. Consequently, with venues like San Siro and Atatürk Olympic Stadium, both countries are well-prepared for Euro 2032.
The College of Contract Management UK is in full support of the Euro 2028 Tournament, showcasing its commitment to advancing sports and contract management education.
