Izuchukwu OkosiA major significant news broke Tuesday morning as the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland’s bid to co-host the 2028 European Championship has been confirmed by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA).
The joint bid ran unopposed after Turkey withdrew to focus on a bid with Italy for Euro 2032, which was also confirmed at a meeting in Nyon, Switzerland.
Both bids had run unopposed but still needed official approval from UEFA.
The British nations focused on Euro 2028, with UEFA’s approval, after they ended a plan to be Europe’s preferred candidate for the 2030 World Cup.
Prime Business Africa understands that Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will host the opening match of the 2028 tournament with the final at London’s Wembley.
The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales have never hosted a major football tournament.
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Former Wales captain Gareth Bale was present at the announcement in Nyon along with representatives from each of the host nations.
Matches at Euro 2028 are set to be held at 10 different grounds, including Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Belfast’s Casement Park and Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock, the former unbuilt while the latter is still under construction, were also included in the bid.
England was one of the 11 countries to host Euro 2020 along with Scotland, as well as being sole hosts of the 1966 World Cup and Euro ’96. England also hosted the record-breaking Women’s European Championship in 2022.
While Italy had only bid for the 2032 tournament, Turkey had initially bid to host both Euro 2028 and 2032.
Turkey withdrew from the running to host Euro 2028 last week after their bid with Italy for 2032 was approved by European football’s governing body.
They have 20 potential host stadiums, of which 10 will be chosen, five per country, by October 2026.
Turkey hosted June’s Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, but a major international tournament has never been held in the country.
European champions Italy hosted the Euros in 1968 and 1980, while Rome’s Stadio Olimpico was also used as a venue for Euro 2020.
Germany will host Euro 2024 with the most recent championship being played in 2021 instead of 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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