The Football Association (FA) has today submitted its official bid for the UK and Ireland to be joint hosts of UEFA EURO 2028.
But only one Manchester stadium has been chosen as a potential host ground.
With the next edition of European football’s flagship competition all set to takeover Germany in 2024, bidding for 2028 is now well underway – and today, The FA has submitted its final bid for the UK and Ireland to jointly host the tournament.
The final bid comes the form of a “detailed plan” that the FA says “shows how our nations are collaborating to stage a historic football festival for all of Europe”.
They also claim that the UK and Ireland hosting would “take the tournament to new heights”.
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Today, the UK and Ireland final bid to host UEFA EURO 2028 has been submitted.
The bid shows how our nations are collaborating to stage an historic football festival for all of Europe and take the tournament to new heights.#UKIreland2028
The UK and Ireland’s plan for the tournament is described by the FA as a “world-class stadia concept” that’s been “tailor-made” for EURO 2028, and is enhanced by the “excellent technical facilities” and “operational experience” of the two countries.
The bid has, for the first time, proposed a number of host cities across the two countries, and confirmed the 10 potential host stadiums – with the City of Manchester Stadium being featured on the list, but Old Trafford failing to make the cut.
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Wembley Stadium in London, the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff, Hampden Park in Glasgow, Casement Park in Belfast, and Dublin Arena in Ireland are some of the other potential stadiums.
UK & Ireland EURO 2028 Host Stadiums
Wembley Stadium
National Stadium of Wales
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,322)
City of Manchester Stadium (61,000)
Everton Stadium (52,679)
St James’ Park (52,305)
Villa Park (52,190)
Hampden Park (52,032)
Dublin Arena (51,711)
Casement Park (34,500)
The FA says these 10 high-capacity football grounds that are famous around the world will provide the platform for the “biggest and most commercially-successful UEFA EURO ever”, with almost three million tickets to the tournament set to be available.
With matches able to be hosted around all four UK nations and Ireland, as well as within different English regions, the FA says it hopes to “reach as many communities as possible” during the tournament.
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The FA has submitted its official bid for the UK and Ireland to be joint hosts of UEFA EURO 2028 / Credit: FA
The bid also places “sustainability” and good governance practice” as “top priorities”, according to the FA.
“Our vision ‘Football for all, Football for good. Football for the future’ is a promise to help our Associations and UEFA grow a more diverse and inclusive game, as well as connect with new audiences and the next generation of fans and volunteers,” the FA said in a statement.
With substantial Government funding set to come from each of the host nations if the UK and Ireland’s bid is successful, the FA says it “shares and supports” UEFA’s plan that hosting UEFA EURO 2028 is “a significant opportunity to transform football development” and “generate meaningful economic, environmental, and social benefits”.
“We look forward to continuing our engagement with UEFA and listening and learning from the European football family to enhance our bid plans,” The FA concluded in its statement.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
Featured Image — Publicity Pictures (supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)
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Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date
Thomas Melia
British boyband Scouting For Girls are heading out on an extensive UK tour with dates up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.
If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this headline is “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know how we’ll make it through this”, then you’re on the right side of history.
Nearly 20 years since their single ‘She’s So Lovely’ reached catastrophic heights and had everyone putting on their best Roy Stride accent, Scouting For Girls are heading back on the road.
This UK tour announcement comes two years after their last project, The Place We Used To Meet, reached our ears and was coined by the band as “Our best work since our debut”.
It’s been 18 years since this Brit trio captivated our hearts with their eponymous debut album, which sold over one million copies and went number one on the UK official charts for two weeks.
Whether you know them for ‘Heartbeat’ or ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, it’s clear to say this band had their fair share of smash hit singles throughout the noughties.
This tour, however, celebrates the sophomore follow-up: Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which went on to continue their legacy and secure them their only number one, ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’, back in 2010.
Now, the boys are treating UK fans to an array of live performances, and if you can’t make one date, fear not because there are 20 different locations for you to choose from.
The group will also be playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and a whole host of other Northern cities, so you have plenty of chances to catch them.
If you can’t wait all the way until March 2026 for your next Scouting For Girls fix, lead singer Stride has his own cameo account where you can get the star to read out a message or even sing you a song: “‘Michaela Strachan’ in full, please?…”
Scouting For Girls are coming to O2 Apollo in Manchester on 21 March 2026, with tickets going on sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
12th April 2023 
