It was confirmed last month that the UK and Ireland would co-host Euro 2028 in five years time after their bid, which was the only one remaining, was accepted by UEFA.
It means that Ireland will host a major international football tournament for the very first time with six games set to be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which will be renamed the Dublin Arena for the duration of the competition.
England will host 28, Scotland and Wales six each, with a rebuilt Casement Park in Belfast hosting five. The final will be in Wembley.
Questions remain over whether Casement Park will actually be used to host matches as the stadium is currently derelict, having not been used since 2013.
Planning permission for a newly rebuilt 34,500 seater venue was accepted in 2021 but as of yet the stadium still remains untouched.
There is plenty of opposition to Casement Park being redeveloped.
Earlier in the week retiring Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus, who won nine caps for Northern Ireland during his international career, voiced his opposition to the proposed redevelopment on the basis that he feels the GAA would be the benifactors from the works long-term rather than football.
Mannus is far from on his own in holding this view.
Majority of unionists don't want Euro 2028 games in Casement Park
While a majority of people in Northern Ireland still support Euro 2028 games being played in the West Belfast stadium, the unionist community remain firmly opposed.
According to a new LucidTalk opinion poll published today in the Belfast Telegraph 61% of unionist surveyed say they would prefer if Northern Ireland hosted no Euro 2028 games if there only choice of venue is Casement Park.
Casement or nowhere?
61% of unionists say they would prefer that Northern Ireland hosted no Euro 2028 games if the only choice of venue here is the GAA’s Casement Park.
https://t.co/mLiqjY58vl— Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) November 4, 2023
54% of all those surveyed still support holding games at the Anderstown venue, while 31% admit to being against the idea.
Regardless of people's views, if games are to be held in Casement Park, it would seem like works will have to get moving in the very near future.
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