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Etihad Stadium included as host ground in UK’s Euro 2028 bid – but Old Trafford misses out

The FA says its final bid "shows how our nations are collaborating to stage a historic football festival for all of Europe".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 12th April 2023

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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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

  1. Wembley Stadium
  2. National Stadium of Wales
  3. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,322)
  4. City of Manchester Stadium (61,000)
  5. Everton Stadium (52,679)
  6. St James’ Park (52,305)
  7. Villa Park (52,190)
  8. Hampden Park (52,032)
  9. Dublin Arena (51,711)
  10. 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”.

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“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

News

Rules around booking driving tests in UK change from today to make system ‘fairer’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Woman driving a car

The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.

It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.

Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.

While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.

Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.

The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.

“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.

“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.

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“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”

Featured Image – Pxfuel

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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Canal Street cordoned off after 'suspicious chemicals' reported at hotel

Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.

Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.

There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.

Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.

The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.

Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.

Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal Street
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal Street
The cordon in place on Canal Street
The cordon in place on Canal Street

GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.

“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.

“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.

“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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