Milton Keynes' Stadium MK is the surprise inclusion on the shortlist of proposed grounds for the UK and Ireland's bid to host Euro 2028. The Buckinghamshire stadium is set to be one of 10 in England included in the bid, according to The Times.
The report says that some big-name grounds will miss out, with Liverpool's Anfield, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Chelsea's Stamford Bridge and Leeds United's Elland Road among the big omissions from the shortlist. Anfield and Stamford Bridge are not permitted to host games at Euro 2028 due to the size of their pitches, while Elland Road has not been given the time and resources needed to put on games by its local authorities.
Stadium MK, the home of MK Dons, was officially opened in 2007. It hosted four matches during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 in the summer, including the semi-final between Germany and France played in front of 28,000 fans.
According to the report, the current shortlist of stadiums in England that could be asked to host includes Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Everton's proposed Bramley Moore Dock ground set to be completed for the 2024-25 season. The others are Wembley Stadium, Villa Park, the London Stadium, St James' Park, the Etihad, Old Trafford and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The list will be whittled down to six by UEFA if the bid is accepted.
The report says that Ireland will have two host stadiums, with the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park being used, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have one host stadium each. UEFA will decide between the UK and Ireland bid and that of Turkey.
EURO 2028 STADIUM REPORTED SHORTLIST
- Wembley Stadium
- Villa Park
- The London Stadium
- St. James' Park
- The Etihad Stadium
- Stadium of Light
- Bramley Moore Dock
- Stadium MK
- The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Old Trafford
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