UEFA Euro 2028

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Surely it is for the teams themselves to determine where they stay/train, not the local Association(s)? And they will choose the facilities which best suit their needs, including travelling times.

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This is true.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

While your fears over teams using Belfast is entirely moot anyhow, since barring Jordanstown(?), there is probably nowhere feasible in NI.

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And this is also true. Teams can choose of their own accord of course. But the goal of the FAI should be maximising the benefits of hosting the tournament. If teams chose NI as a base because it is a “host” that conflicts with this goal – there is a potential diversion of benefits to the IFA from the FAI. If the IFA is removed as a hosting association but teams chose to locate training camps in NI anyways, the FAI is not losing out in this scenario. We know in this scenario that the IFA status as a “host” did not influence the decision to base in NI.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

And if we were somehow to get an NTC that could do the job before 2028, that would only be as a result of funding from HMG, not Dublin/FAI.

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As long as Dublin/ FAI is not funding the IFA, I've no interest in where or how the IFA gets funding. Not sure what the FAI's "committment" to keep the IFA/NI involved in hosting the tournament means in this respect https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/...thern-29939530

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Not for games in GB you don't.

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My bad. Was thrown by your use of the word “international”.

Here's a question, does the competition name remain euro 2028 UK & Ireland or is is now euro 2028 Britain & Ireland

not that it makes the slightest difference

They'll keep the north involved in some way, even if it's just some nonsense like holding the tournament draw in Belfast or something inconsequential like that.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

They'll keep the north involved in some way, even if it's just some nonsense like holding the tournament draw in Belfast or something inconsequential like that.

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Really? surely its goodnight Irene

they're not a host? I mean if you are saying that NI will also get the benefit or possible automatic qualification as hosts, thats outrageous!

Don't think it will stretch to an automatic qualification place, at least not at the expense of another host. It would be ridiculous if they were handing out auto q's and gave one to the north but not to an actual host. I think they might still be involved in some way, but not in a playing capacity (unless they qualify by right of course).

Michael O'Neill at his squad announcement this week more or less confirmed that the north have given up on any hope of auto qualifying for Euro 2028 as a host nation. So one less team to divide the qualification places between. Given that England will qualify through the groups the worst case scenario now seems to be two qualification places to be split between Ireland, Scotland and Wales. If any of the three qualify automatically, then all three will qualify for the finals.

Thomas Byrne back out in the media talking shyte again today, this time saying that the government wants the country to host more Euro 2028 games, but ruling out the only city that actually has the infrastructure to host them...

Minister Byrne said today that the government had told UEFA that it is willing to host the games intended for Belfast but outside of Dublin. "We want more matches," he said. "We've expressed a view to UEFA, we want them on a regional basis." Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork has been suggested as a potential replacement for Casement Park.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Thomas Byrne back out in the media talking shyte again today, this time saying that the government wants the country to host more Euro 2028 games, but ruling out the only city that actually has the infrastructure to host them...

Minister Byrne said today that the government had told UEFA that it is willing to host the games intended for Belfast but outside of Dublin. "We want more matches," he said. "We've expressed a view to UEFA, we want them on a regional basis." Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork has been suggested as a potential replacement for Casement Park.

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What's your logic for Cork not being able to host games? All Pairc Ui Caoimh would need is additonal seating installed which is hardly a huge ask over the next 3 years. There's been Munster games put on there that were sold out and have been really successful. There are soccer fans living outside of the capital you know.

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Originally Posted by rebelmusic

What's your logic for Cork not being able to host games? All Pairc Ui Caoimh would need is additonal seating installed which is hardly a huge ask over the next 3 years. There's been Munster games put on there that were sold out and have been really successful. There are soccer fans living outside of the capital you know.

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I don't know the ins and outs, but I've seen it been said before that it would take a lot more than a few extra seats to make that stadium viable for the min requirements for a Uefa stadium. They're just suggesting things that won't and can't happen.

I'm pretty sure the list of cities/stadiums that will host are already decided anyway, including backups, there's nothing on the list outside of Dublin, it can't happen, and we don't have any particular sway to make it happen that I foresee. The UK is full of stadiums ready to go, Vs vague hopes of maybe having a stadium that could do it.

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Originally Posted by rebelmusic

What's your logic for Cork not being able to host games? All Pairc Ui Caoimh would need is additonal seating installed which is hardly a huge ask over the next 3 years. There's been Munster games put on there that were sold out and have been really successful. There are soccer fans living outside of the capital you know.

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Here are UEFA's requirements for staging Euro24. Stadia are covered in Sector 6, which cover 98 pages of fine type, with detail ranging from eg the need for completely covered stands, right down to the number of hairdryers to be available in each dressing room:
https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles...1_DOWNLOAD.pdf

I can categorically state that there is not a chance of Pairc Ui Caoimh being able to comply, end of.

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Originally Posted by rebelmusic

There's been Munster games put on there that were sold out and have been really successful. There are soccer fans living outside of the capital you know.

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And?

UEFA couldn't give a stuff about any of that, not least when right now there are maybe half a dozen additional football (i.e. not GAA) stadia in England which aren't even on the FA's list, but which could probably stage Euro games tomorrow.

There will not be any Euro games in Cork, nor will there be additional games in Croke, since UEFA does not allow any single city to host more than one set of games, and the AVIVA already has that one secured for Dublin.

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Originally Posted by Acornvilla

I don't know the ins and outs, but I've seen it been said before that it would take a lot more than a few extra seats to make that stadium viable for the min requirements for a Uefa stadium. They're just suggesting things that won't and can't happen.

I'm pretty sure the list of cities/stadiums that will host are already decided anyway, including backups, there's nothing on the list outside of Dublin, it can't happen, and we don't have any particular sway to make it happen that I foresee. The UK is full of stadiums ready to go, Vs vague hopes of maybe having a stadium that could do it.

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Spot on.

I mean, in my above post I cited eg the need for all stands to be covered, so that even if there was the money to build new roofs, which there isn't, I doubt very much that the existing foundations could bear the extra weight Then when you add eg all the media, parking, IT and transport requirements etc, over and above the need to be all-seater, it would probably be easier and cheaper to knock the whole thing down and start again. Which simply isn't going to happen. Obviously.

P.S. Did I mention that UEFA also requires exclusive access to, and control over, the entire stadium from a month before the tournament starts? Smack bang in the middle of the GAA season, that is.

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Originally Posted by rebelmusic

What's your logic for Cork not being able to host games?

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The state of Páirc Ui Chaoimh relative to what would be needed to host Euros games basically. As pointed out by others, it goes way beyond nailing down a few thousand seats onto the terraces. This isn't the Heineken Cup. It's a complete non starter.

What the government should be doing, if they have any sense at all, is making a play for extra games at Lansdowne Road (sorry, "Dublin Stadium").

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

The state of Páirc Ui Chaoimh relative to what would be needed to host Euros games basically. As pointed out by others, it goes way beyond nailing down a few thousand seats onto the terraces. This isn't the Heineken Cup. It's a complete non starter.

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Agree.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

What the government should be doing, if they have any sense at all, is making a play for extra games at Lansdowne Road (sorry, "Dublin Stadium").

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No harm, but the logistics don't allow for this, either stadium or city.

Nor will UEFA take a chance on the pitch standing up to the extra wear and tear.

I mean, the FA wanted England to be able to play their games at Wembley, but this wasn't allowed, since Wembley is reserved for the Final (and possibly the semi-finals?), so they had to opt for Tottenham's stadium. Which under the one stadium per city rule is London's sole host stadium.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

P.S. Did I mention that UEFA also requires exclusive access to, and control over, the entire stadium from a month before the tournament starts? Smack bang in the middle of the GAA season, that is.

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Of the long list of issues with PuC as a venue, this is at the bottom (if on the list at all).

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Originally Posted by ifk101

Of the long list of issues with PuC as a venue, this is at the bottom (if on the list at all).

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Yeah Cork GAA would have no issue handing that stadium over that it wouldn't make the list of issues regarding Cork hosting games. It's the other long list of things that costs money which is the issue.

Only way Ireland gets to hold extra games is if the FAs can get UEFA onboard with Croke Park being used or work out something where Aviva is able to host extra games. It's just gonna be easier to move the games to another stadium in England.

So UEFA will be going ahead with a 9 stadium tournament and will redistributed the 5 games that were planned for Casement to other hosts.

FAI have expressed an interest in hosting two of those games but scheduling likely only allow one extra game to be played in the Aviva.

Nothing officially confirmed but David Courell says that only countries who actually host games will be eligible for automatic qualification.

This is being put out by the Irish media as a major story tonight, but I'm not really sure why because Michael O'Neill confirmed this in an interview over a month ago.

Also the Irish Times headline here is hugely misleading. There's still a real possibility that one of the four hosts won't qualify automatically.

https://archive.ph/7lKXM

So, despite the headlines 6 months ago, and again last week, claiming that Ireland would be guaranteed a spot at Euro 2028 as hosts, the actual situation is not that at all.

In order to get a spot without earning it ourselves on merit, we would need at least two of England, Scotland and Wales to qualify automatically (it's no use to us if it's through the playoffs).

Despite a decent showing in the last Nations League Wales are a team in decline post Bale and Ramsay and Scotland are mediocre with a strong midfield but huge weaknesses in goal, at the centre of defence and in attack.

There's a genuine chance that one of the host teams could miss out here. At least it's better than if the north were still involved, as in that case two host teams could have missed out.

Also, if I'm reading it correctly, it looks like the Nations League playoff spots will be primarily for group winners this time around. So we likely would have been better to have been relegated from the B division to the C division in terms of getting a playoff place if that element of the qualification system has been changed in that way.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

So, despite the headlines 6 months ago, and again last week, claiming that Ireland would be guaranteed a spot at Euro 2028 as hosts, the actual situation is not that at all.

In order to get a spot without earning it ourselves on merit, we would need at least two of England, Scotland and Wales to qualify automatically (it's no use to us if it's through the playoffs).

Despite a decent showing in the last Nations League Wales are a team in decline post Bale and Ramsay and Scotland are mediocre with a strong midfield but huge weaknesses in goal, at the centre of defence and in attack.

There's a genuine chance that one of the host teams could miss out here. At least it's better than if the north were still involved, as in that case two host teams could have missed out.

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just to note that 20 teams qualify automatically - 12 group runners and the 8 best runners up. so we need two of england, wales and scotland to finish as group winners or one of the best 8 runners up, should we fail to get the business done ourselves.

i am not clear what happens if the above criteria is met but we end up in a playoff and lose. i guess we still get in.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Also, if I'm reading it correctly, it looks like the Nations League playoff spots will be primarily for group winners this time around. So we likely would have been better to have been relegated from the B division to the C division in terms of getting a playoff place if that element of the qualification system has been changed in that way.

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Is that not the same as before though? NL group winners were given first dibs, but if they'd qualified then the spots moved down the NL groups. So we didn't get in despite third place in the NL, while three of the four League C group winners got in (Turkey having qualified by rights)

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Originally Posted by zero

just to note that 20 teams qualify automatically - 12 group runners and the 8 best runners up. so we need two of england, wales and scotland to finish as group winners or one of the best 8 runners up, should we fail to get the business done ourselves.

i am not clear what happens if the above criteria is met but we end up in a playoff and lose. i guess we still get in.

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If the above criteria are met we wouldn't play in the playoffs. If England plus one more host qualifies directly, then the other two hosts are granted qualification and other teams contest the playoffs.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Is that not the same as before though? NL group winners were given first dibs, but if they'd qualified then the spots moved down the NL groups. So we didn't get in despite third place in the NL, while three of the four League C group winners got in (Turkey having qualified by rights)

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Kind of, but there were three or four playoffs qualification places to be won and the playoffs were broken up by division. So if all the B group winners qualified automatically then all the B group second placed teams would get a playoff. My reading is that those places would now go to a Group C or D winner before they'd go to a Group B second placed team, as there won't be any League C playoff path as such this time around.

For us to be in a playoff that would mean that only England of the hosts have qualified automatically, and then Wales and Scotland have been given the two host spots because they've failed to qualify automatically but have done better than us in the groups.

In that case there would only be two playoff qualification places left to be won for everyone else, as Wales and Scotland would have already taken two of them, so it would likely only be group winners that would get a playoff place. So in that case we'd likely need to have won our Nations League B group to even get in to the playoffs.

Does this mean the pubs around Dublin will be chearing on ENGERLAND

Not really, as England qualifying is more or less a given (though if they don't we have real problems).

The question is more whether we want Wales and Scotland to do well or do poorly? That really depends.

In one sense we want them to do well because if one of them qualifies them they'll take us with them (and vice versa).

On the other hand, if none of them qualify automatically we want them to do badly as we would get one of the two host spots by performing better than them in the groups.

So it's probably the case that if they start badly we will want them to continue to do badly so that they're ranked worse than us. But if they start strongly, like Scotland did in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, we may just want them to continue strongly and go ahead and qualify automatically.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Kind of, but there were three or four playoffs qualification places to be won and the playoffs were broken up by division. So if all the B group winners qualified automatically then all the B group second placed teams would get a playoff. My reading is that those places would now go to a Group C or D winner before they'd go to a Group B second placed team, as there won't be any League C playoff path as such this time around.

For us to be in a playoff that would mean that only England of the hosts have qualified automatically, and then Wales and Scotland have been given the two host spots because they've failed to qualify automatically but have done better than us in the groups.

In that case there would only be two playoff qualification places left to be won for everyone else, as Wales and Scotland would have already taken two of them, so it would likely only be group winners that would get a playoff place. So in that case we'd likely need to have won our Nations League B group to even get in to the playoffs.

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Ah - yeah, if there's half the number of qualification spots from the play-off, then that would impact alright.

It also needs to be clarified what "best ranked" means in terms of deciding who gets the two host places if none of Ireland, Scotland or Wales qualify automatically.

If it's based on the Nations League that's bad news as Wales will be in the A division so we can't be ranked ahead of them. If it's based on FIFA rankings that's even worse as we're currently behind the other two by a distance. We will need to hope it's based on performance in the Euro 2028 qualification groups, which would seem the fairest way to decide it. But it hasn't been clarified in the press release.