The Etihad stadium has been selected as one of the 10 stadiums to play host to matches for Euro 2028, as the UK and Ireland were confirmed as the tournament hosts.
Old Trafford – home of Manchester United – is one of the highest profile stadiums to miss out on selection.
The ground was originally shortlisted but the club were unable to be make guarantees about the use of their stadium come 2028.
They said: “Manchester United was pleased to put Old Trafford forward as a potential host of UEFA Euro 2028 matches and proud of the strong case we made.
“However, during follow-up discussions with the FA, it became clear that we were unable to provide the necessary certainty around availability of Old Trafford due to potential redevelopment of the stadium. As a result, we have mutually agreed to withdraw from the shortlist of potential hosts.
“We are committed to maintaining Old Trafford’s status as the largest and most iconic club football ground in England and look forward to future opportunities to host international matches and major events at the Theatre of Dreams.”
Meanwhile, Danny Wilson, the Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, welcomed the Etihad’s inclusion in the competition.
He said: “Everyone at Manchester City is delighted to be a part of the UK and Ireland’s successful UEFA EURO 2028 bid and we can’t wait to bring fans from across the country and Europe to Manchester to enjoy one of sports’ biggest spectacles.
“To be one of the few stadia across the UK and Ireland chosen to host the competition is testament to the Club’s investment into the Etihad Stadium, and our vision to develop a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination.”
We are delighted to confirm that the Etihad Stadium will host a number of UEFA EURO 2028 matches as part of the competition due to be held across the UK and Ireland! 🏟️
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 10, 2023
The Etihad joins Newcastle’s St James’ Park, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, Aston Villa’s Villa Park and Wembley Stadium as the English venues chosen to host matches.
The other grounds outside England picked include Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
Two further stadiums were listed but have not yet been built. These are Everton’s new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock and the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.
The selection was designed to reach as many communities as possible, which explains the geographic spread of stadiums across the nations.
Where will you be heading during #Euro2028? #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/RW9l9k1x0y
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 10, 2023
It will be the first time the Euros is held in Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The BBC announced the opening match of the tournament will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
They have reported the Welsh capital will hope to host six games in total, including a quarter-final.
Given that there are five host nations involved, it is unlikely that there will be automatic qualification for all the countries.
All the teams will compete for a qualification spot, but UEFA has reserved two positions in the competition for nations who do not make it through qualification.
If more than two fail to qualify, the two teams with the best record will make it through to the finals.
Feature image by Jonny Gios
