Abandoned 34,500-seater football stadium that had been tipped to host Euro 2028 matches lands £50m towards restoration.
Nine stadiums will host the Euro 2028 games. The abandoned stadium that was supposed to host Euro 2028 matches has got a significant boost in its future. The Republic of Ireland, along with the four home nations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, were to host the main competition.
Belfast’s Casement Park was initially chosen as one of the venues to host games, with plans to expand the ground to a capacity of 34,000. However, it has been removed from Euro 2028 owing to finance concerns, and Northern Ireland will no longer be a host nation. Despite this, the reconstruction of Casement Park continues, and the government has confirmed a £50 million investment to the project. However, there is still a £90 million shortage since Stormont officials and the Gaelic Athletic Association can only raise £120 million of the £260 million required. Northern Ireland’s finance minister, John O’Dowd, praised the government’s support and urged everyone to “now work together” to complete the stadium construction.
Casement Park closed down in 2013 and has since been abandoned. Incredible photographs show the stands crumbling and the pitch overgrown. The stadium welcomed 31,000 fans back in style for hurling and Gaelic football games. The dilapidated site has been granted planning approval to be modernised, and demolition work has commenced. However, some have argued that the intended design should be scrapped in order to allow for a more cost-effective construction. Northern Ireland presently plays its home games at Windsor Park, which seats 18,500 people. Uefa requires that all major event venues accommodate 30,000 people. The Irish FA has ruled out extending Windsor Park.
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