Ireland’s Bid Win to Co-Host EURO 2028 welcomed

Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Thomas Byrne T.D., Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, today welcomed UEFA’s announcement that Ireland and the UK will be the hosts of the UEFA EURO 2028 Championships.

Following a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Ireland and the UK, a unique and pioneering five-Football Association partnership, was awarded the 2028 Tournament.

Ireland will jointly host the tournament with the UK and this presents a wonderful opportunity to showcase Ireland and our world-class tourism offering to Europe and the wider world. The award of the tournament to Ireland and the UK rewards the intensive North-South and East West co-operation in the preparation and presentation of the bid. It also provides a great opportunity for all to build upon that partnership to deliver a tournament that will mean so much to communities across Ireland and the UK.

Following an unprecedented collaboration between football associations, government partners, city, stadia and other stakeholders across Ireland and the UK this will be the largest sporting event we have ever jointly staged.  It will also be the largest single international sporting event held in Ireland.

The Government will continue to work with the FAI and other partners to ensure that the benefits are maximised for all and towards making this tournament the most sustainable and inclusive ever held on these islands. UEFA EURO2028 will create meaningful social and economic benefits for all of the communities involved and will engage and inspire more players, fans and volunteers across our countries to get involved in sport.

Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said: I am over the moon to hear that Ireland and the UK will co-host UEFA EURO 2028 and want to express my congratulations to the FAI and all those involved in winning the bid. It will be the biggest event ever hosted by our two islands working together. We’re willing to invest in the Aviva Stadium and Casement Park to ensure that the stadia, north and south, are ready to welcome the world. I also want to ensure that there are benefits too for football clubs all over the country and I look forward to engaging with the FAI on how we can achieve that. Football truly is a global sport, played on every continent and is transcendent of race, social class or gender. I really think we can use this tournament to showcase Ireland to the world and bring people together.

Minister Catherine Martin said:  I welcome the awarding of the EURO 2028 tournament to Ireland and the UK.  Hosting the tournament will bring huge benefits to the country economically, particularly for our tourism industry, with over 120,000 visitors expected to travel to Ireland for the tournament.  The sporting benefits will be felt right across the island, inspiring a new generation to take up football and other sports. UEFA Euro 2028 has the potential to encourage increased participation from all sections and communities of our society and to reflect the goals of the bid to deliver football for all, football for good and football for the future.

Minister of State Thomas Byrne said: I am delighted with UEFA’s decision to award the hosting rights for EURO 2028 to Ireland and the UK. I know that we can co-host a fantastic tournament for football fans which will place Ireland on the world stage. EURO 2028 offers us a wonderful opportunity to further grow the game in Ireland and we will work together to ensure that there is a positive lasting legacy from our hosting of the tournament. I am particularly pleased that Northern Ireland is a part of this great effort as 2028 will mark thirty years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. I want to commend everyone involved in this successful outcome.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said: After the disappointment of losing out late in the day on the opportunity to co-host UEFA EURO 2020, today’s news will finally allow Dublin to take its place as a host city for the biggest sporting event ever to be held here. It will showcase Dublin to a global TV audience of hundreds of millions, in addition to the many fans, visitors, locals & stakeholders who will make their way to the city during the tournament. The excitement will be palpable! The City Council will work with our partners in Government and the FAI to ensure there are a suite of meaningful initiatives rolled out in Dublin and across the country to create a lasting legacy from EURO 2028.

Fáiltíonn an tAire Martin agus Byrne roimh bhua thairiscint na hÉireann chun EURO 2028 a chomhóstáil  

Inniu, d’fháiltigh Catherine Martin T.D., an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, agus Thomas Byrne T.D., an tAire Stáit don Spórt agus don Chorpoideachas, roimh fhógra UEFA go n-óstálfaidh Éire agus an RA Craobhchomórtas EURO 2028 UEFA.

Tar éis cruinniú de Choiste Feidhmiúcháin UEFA ag a cheanncheathrú i Nyon, san Eilvéis, bronnadh Comórtas 2028 ar chomhpháirtíocht uathúil agus cheannródaíoch idir cúig chumann peile in Éirinn agus sa Ríocht Aontaithe.

Óstálfaidh Éire an comórtas i gcomhpháirt leis an RA agus tabharfar deis iontach ann chun Éire agus ár dtairiscint turasóireachta den scoth a thaispeáint don Eoraip agus don domhan mór. Tugann bronnadh an chomórtais ar Éirinn agus ar an RA luach saothair as an gcomhoibriú dian Thuaidh-Theas agus Thoir Thiar in ullmhú agus i gcur i láthair na tairisceana. Tugtar deis iontach ann do chách chomh maith tógáil ar an gcomhpháirtíocht sin chun comórtas tábhachtach a sheachadadh do phobail ar fud na hÉireann agus an RA.

Tar éis comhoibrithe nach bhfacthas riamh cheana idir cumainn peile, comhpháirtithe rialtais, cathracha, staideanna agus páirtithe leasmhara eile ar fud na hÉireann agus an Ríocht Aontaithe, beidh sé seo ar an imeacht spóirt is mó a bhí againn le chéile riamh. Beidh sé ar an imeacht spóirt idirnáisiúnta aonair is mó a reáchtálfar in Éirinn freisin.

Oibreoidh an Rialtas leis an FAI agus comhpháirtithe eile chun a chinntiú go n-uasmhéadófar na tairbhí do chách agus chun an comórtas seo a dhéanamh ar an gceann is inbhuanaithe agus is cuimsithí riamh ar na hoileáin seo. Le linn EURO2028 cruthófar tairbhí sóisialta agus eacnamaíocha fiúntacha do na pobail go léir a bheidh páirteach ann, meallfar níos mó imreoirí, leantóirí agus oibrithe deonacha ar fud ár dtíortha agus spreagfar iad chun páirt a ghlacadh sa spórt.

Dúirt an Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar: Tá áthas an domhain orm a chloisteáil go gcomhóstálfaidh Éire agus an Ríocht Aontaithe EURO 2028 UEFA. Beidh sé ar an imeacht is mó riamh a bheidh ar siúl ag an dá oileán ag obair le chéile. Táimid sásta infheistíocht a dhéanamh i Staid Aviva agus i bPáirc Mhic Easmainn lena chinntiú go bhfuil na staideanna, thuaidh agus theas, réidh le fáilte a chur roimh an domhan. Ba mhaith liom a chinntiú freisin go mbeidh buntáistí ann freisin do chlubanna peile ar fud na tíre agus táim ag tnúth le dul i dteagmháil leis na cumainn peile ar conas is féidir linn é sin a bhaint amach. Is spórt domhanda í an pheil, a imrítear ar gach mór-roinn agus tá sé tharchéimnitheach ó thaobh cine, aicme sóisialta nó inscne. Sílim gur féidir linn an comórtas seo a úsáid chun Éire a thaispeáint don domhan mór agus daoine a thabhairt le chéile.

Dúirt an tAire Catherine Martin:  Fáiltím roimh bhronnadh chomórtas EURO 2028 ar Éirinn agus ar an RA. Bainfidh an tír buntáistí ollmhóra eacnamaíocha amach tríd an gcomórtas a óstáil, go háirithe dár dtionscal turasóireachta, agus meastar go dtiocfaidh breis agus 120,000 cuairteoir go hÉirinn don chomórtas. Beidh buntáistí ollmhóra eacnamaíocha ag an tír trí óstáil a dhéanamh ar an gcomórtas, go háirithe dár dtionscal turasóireachta, agus meastar go dtiocfaidh breis agus 120,000 cuairteoir go hÉirinn dó. Tá an cumas ag Euro 2028 rannpháirtíocht mhéadaithe ó gach cuid agus pobal dár sochaí a spreagadh agus chun spriocanna na hiarrachta a léiriú chun peil a sheachadadh do chách, peil a dhéanfaidh maitheas agus peil don todhchaí.

Dúirt an tAire Stáit Thomas Byrne: Tá lúcháir orm le cinneadh UEFA na cearta óstála do EURO 2028 a bhronnadh ar Éirinn agus ar an RA. Tá a fhios agam gur féidir linn comórtas iontach a óstáil do lucht leanúna peile a chuirfidh Éire ar stáitse an domhain. Tugann EURO 2028 deis iontach dúinn an cluiche a mhéadú tuilleadh in Éirinn agus oibreoimid le chéile chun a chinntiú go mbeidh oidhreacht dhearfach bhuan ag an gcomórtas a reáchtálfar anseo. Tá áthas ar leith orm go bhfuil Tuaisceart Éireann mar chuid den iarracht mhór seo mar go mbeidh 2028 ag comóradh tríocha bliain ó síníodh Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Molaim gach duine a bhfuil baint acu leis an toradh rathúil seo.

Dúirt an tArd-Mhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath Daithí de Róiste: Tar éis an díomá a bhain leis an deis a chailleadh a bheith ina chomhóstach ar UEFA EURO 2020, tabharfar deis do Bhaile Átha Cliath a áit a ghlacadh in óstáil an ócáid spóirt is mó riamh a reáchtáladh anseo. Taispeánfar Baile Átha Cliath do lucht féachana teilifíse domhanda de na céadta milliún, chomh maith leis an iliomad leantóirí, cuairteoirí, geallsealbhóirí agus muintir na háite a dhéanfaidh a mbealach chun na cathrach le linn an chomórtais. Beidh fuadar iontach le brath! Oibreoidh an Chomhairle Cathrach lenár gcomhpháirtithe sa Rialtas agus leis an gCumann Peile chun a chinntiú go reáchtálfar sraith tionscnaimh fiúntacha i mBaile Átha Cliath agus ar fud na tíre chun oidhreacht bhuan a chruthú ó EURO 2028.