The GAA remain “hopeful” that a new Casement Park will make the shortlist of 10 stadiums next April for the Euro 2028 bid, although it remains unclear whether or not the venue will meet UEFA requirements.
Should work start on the much-delayed project next summer, the GAA believe that games could be played at the West Belfast stadium as early as late 2025.
The capacity for the new stadium is 34,500 - but only 26,000 will be seated as the South Stand will be terraced.
Read more: No blank cheque for Casement Park as leading GAA figures urge politicians to honour commitments
No stadium with a capacity of under 30,000 can be considered to host games and, at present, UEFA doesn’t permit the use of temporary seating.
That provides yet another hurdle for the GAA, but Stephen McGeehan, Ulster GAA’s Casement Park Stadium Sponsor, believes a solution can be found in order for Casement to be one of the 10 venues submitted to UEFA by the bid team next April.
“UEFA come with a list of requirements for the use of their stadia for a major event. We’ve been working on the details of that with the bid team," said McGeehan.
“We’ve terrace facilities in the new Casement Park when built - UEFA would like us to consider the seating requirements.
“Then, if the bid is successful, how would we accommodate that in the new Casement?
“There are issues like that that are under discussion and, between now and next April, those conversations will continue, but what a shot in the arm it would be if the bid was successful?
“Not only seeing Gaelic Games return to Belfast in Casement Park, but wouldn’t it be absolutely fantastic for this part of the world if we saw major international events come here?
He added: “The Casement Park project, to be absolutely clear, is being delivered as a GAA venue.
"We’ve got 26,000 seats and we’ve 8,000 of a terrace capacity. If the Euro bid is successful, one of the options that’s under consideration from the point of view of providing additional seats, is could that be done on a temporary basis?
“It is clear that, should you host different international competitions and events, there may be a requirement to make some tweaks on what’s built.”
The GAA is also providing Croke Park as a venue and the Hill 16 terrace has been fitted with temporary seating in the past for soccer and rugby internationals - although the GAA’s Headquarters could meet the capacity requirements without using Hill 16 at all.
Dublin could provide two separate venues for games at Euro 2028 with the Aviva Stadium on the shortlist of 14 stadiums.
The only option to host a game in Belfast, according to McGeehan, is at the new Casement Park.
Last week, Ali Pour, the owner of Glentoran, unveiled plans to build a new 34,000 capacity stadium in the Harbour area of Belfast and suggested in an interview with the Sunday Life that it could rival Casement as a potential venue to host Euro 2028 games.
“First and foremost the matter of providing stadiums and facilities for football here in the North is very much the bailiwick of the Irish Football Association,” stated McGeehan.
“I wish them and Glentoran and the clubs involved in modernisation programmes the very best and good luck with the development of their facilities.
“From our perspective, the development of any other stadium was not mentioned in our discussions with the IFA.
“Our understanding, which remains the case today, is that Casement Park would be the only option on the basis of a Euro bid.
“The other question to ask is, if a venue hasn’t been included in the preliminary bid dossier at this stage, I don’t know what requirements UEFA have for other venues to be considered.”
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