Aston Villa will host a major international football event at Villa Park, following reports that the UK and Ireland were successful in their bid to host EURO 2028.
After Turkey withdrew as a challenger, the United Kingdom and Ireland will be confirmed as hosts of the UEFA European Championships in 2028.
England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales joined forces to mount a five-way bid to host the event, but they were met with opposition.
Turkey had been their only other contender, but according to talkSPORT, they have already withdrew from the process, indicating that the tournament will take place shortly. They are expected to launch a joint bid with Italy for the 2023 edition.
The decision will be validated by UEFA in Nyon on Tuesday, which means that all five countries can now begin planning for the event in five years.
Villa Park was revealed in April to be one of the ten stadiums chosen for the competition. Villa Park will be involved in the hosting of a major football tournament for the first time in 32 years. It was one of the host venues for EURO 1996, and it was used until the quarter-finals, when the Czech Republic defeated Portugal 1-0.
Villa Park was chosen over several of England’s iconic football venues. Manchester United’s Old Trafford was left off the list, in favor of inter-city rivals Manchester City.
Wembley Stadium, the home of English football, was an obvious selection and will most likely host the final, but Wales’ national stadium, the Millennium Stadium, as well as Hampden Park (Scotland) and the Aviva Stadium (Ireland) have also been nominated as venues.
Despite being a work in progress, Everton’s Bramley Moore Dock Stadium is included. Meanwhile, Casement Park will require extensive renovations if Northern Ireland is to host any matches.
