UEFA are set to tell Ireland they will have to qualify for Euro 2028 despite closing in on co-host status.
Dublin is poised to stage up to eight games - including a quarter-final - but the Boys in Green won’t be getting a free pass to the party.
Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales are the red-hot favourites to win the bid - most likely unopposed.
Last night, the path appeared to be clearing for a solo bid.
Yet sources were still wary of a late Turkey submission ahead of tomorrow’s deadline, despite claims their interest had waned with focus shifting to 2032 instead.
Even if that were to materialise, the Ireland-Britain bid would still be the clear front runner to stage the tournament.
UEFA will reveal the final list of bidders on April 5, but the likelihood is it will already be a one horse race by then.
Were it a contest, UEFA will officially reveal the winning bid in September 2023.
The Irish government will today pledge its full support to the bid, which could see Croke Park being used as one of Dublin’s host venues alongside Aviva Stadium.
Last month, FAI chief executive Jonthan Hill said the famous GAA ground may not be needed if UEFA decides against expanding the tournament to 32 teams from 24.
But that decision won’t be made until later this year, after which games will be officially allocated to each of the host cities.
UEFA have traditionally offered up to two automatic qualification places at European Championships for host countries.
Five spots under this joint Ireland and Britain bid won’t be granted, although increasing the tournament to 32 teams would boost qualification chances for all.
It is possible that UEFA could hold two automatic qualifying places in reserve as a fallback option, should any of the hosts fail to qualify via traditional means.
But the complicated mechanics of such a process would need to be ironed out and announced in conjunction with the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign itself.
Speaking last month, Irish Football Association chief executive Patrick Nelson had said: "We all want to be there, obviously.
“Performances on the field are what matter in terms of qualification but we will have those discussions in detail with UEFA later as to whether there are any host places.”
The FAI is determined to see Dublin host at least a quarter-final at Euro 2028, having had to hand over its Euro 2020 group and Last 16 games last summer due to Covid.
FAI chief Hill said last month: “UEFA would probably look at Wembley - 90,000 capacity, 17,000 for hospitality - for semi-finals and finals as that generates the most money.
“But we will be bullish in relation to (hosting matches) beyond the Last 16, absolutely. I genuinely believe that the bid is a winnable one.”
