Euro 2028 will be ‘great for the country’ and UK-Ireland relations, Varadkar says

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Ireland hosting the 2028 European Championships jointly with the UK will be “great for football” and “great for the country”.

Mr Varadkar also said it will be “a good thing” for UK-Ireland relations and the Government is already in discussions with its British counterparts and the Ulster GAA Council as to how it can make a contribution to the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.

The Taoiseach said he would be discussing the hosting of the tournament with British prime minister Rishi Sunak in Grenada on Thursday.

The UK and Ireland are set to be ratified unopposed as hosts of Euro 2028 by Uefa next Tuesday after Turkey withdrew from the bidding process.

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Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said “a lot of football people in Ireland” would not celebrate the decision because the level of facilities in the country were “very poor”.

“Thirty-eight per cent of clubs can’t even provide basic facilities for girls teams and week in, week out, we have underage games being called off because of the poor facilities in the country,” he said.

“Can I just say Taoiseach, do you not feel that this is potentially a huge distraction in terms of football infrastructure in this country?”

In response, Mr Varadkar said he agreed with the Labour TD’s sentiments but did not believe the “two things are in conflict or should be in conflict”.

The Taoiseach said when it came to local and League of Ireland clubs, they could apply to the sports capital programme and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund.

Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne said that working together with Northern Ireland, with Wales, England, Scotland is “hugely significant” and “much needed now in the post-Brexit environment”.

Mr Byrne told RTÉ Radio’s News at One that the State will be providing “major funds”, but that there will have to be a very detailed cost benefit analysis to make sure that the State is getting value for money. The figures were not being released yet because of the competitive bidding process and commercial sensitivity.

“We have no problem releasing them in due course after that, after the process ends,” he added.

When asked about concerns about attendances at games if the Republic of Ireland does not qualify, the Minister said that this would be a major event and that it would attract “big numbers” from around Europe.

Former minister of state for sport Jack Chambers, who had previously stressed the need for the Government to assess the cost and benefits of such a bid, welcomed the outcome.

“I suppose the focus now is on putting the finalities to the formal process between now and 2028. It will be brilliant for our country, a huge amount of planning and focus across a range of areas like transport, infrastructure and obviously capacity as well,” he said.

“The cost benefit analysis was very positively disposed to the bid from an Irish perspective. I think that reinforces why it was correct and right that Ireland can host such a bid. And then the wider sporting and tourism benefits that will accrue.

“I think the fact that it’s an all-island bid as well will be really important, that through sport we can deliver a major project together from all the football associations but also the two governments working together.”