One of the UKs EURO 2028 host grounds is plunged into major doubt as ministers announce they WONT provide £310m of taxpayers cash to help make sure its ready in time
One of the UKs planned host grounds for Euro 2028 has been plunged into doubt after ministers have said they wont provide the funds to make sure its ready in time for the tournament.
One of the UKs planned host grounds for Euro 2028 has been plunged into doubt after ministers have said they wont provide the funds to make sure its ready in time for the tournament.
The UK Government will not fund the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast, due to a significant risk that it would not be built in time.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the decision in a joint letter to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons on Friday evening.
It said the risk of the GAA stadium refurbishments not being completed in time was partly due to a lack of building progress made between now and when the Euro 2028 bid was awarded jointly to the UK and Ireland.
The ministers said the cost of building Casement Park had risen dramatically since 2023 - from £180 million to £400 million.
Casement Park in Belfast has been thrown into doubt as a venue for Euro 2028 after ministers said they wouldnt provide the funds to ensure it is ready in time
The Government has said there is a significant risk that the GAA stadium would not be built in time for the tournament in 2028
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn announced the decision in a joint letter with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy
Ms Nandys and Mr Benns joint letter pointed to dramatically risen build costs as the reason for the difficult decision to provide funding for the stadium to be built for Euro 2028
The estimated build costs have risen dramatically, from £180m when the Euro 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 to potentially over £400m, and there is a significant risk that it would not be built in time for the tournament, the joint letter said.
We have therefore, regrettably, decided that it is not appropriate for the UK Government to provide funding to seek to build Casement Park in time to host matches at Euro 2028.
This has been a very difficult decision to make, given our belief in the Euro 2028 partnership, but it is the only way forward in the circumstances.
Mr Benn and Ms Nandy said they will engage with those involved to find the appropriate way forward for Casement Park.
We will continue to work together with partners and Uefa regarding Northern Irelands involvement in Euro 2028 moving forward, and remain fully committed to ensuring that the tournament positively impacts on the whole of the UK, providing a legacy for football and people across all four home nations, the joint letter to the Stormont Executive said.
As we understand it, the Executive remains committed to building Casement Park and you will no doubt want to take stock of the project in light of this decision.
We will, therefore, seek engagement with NI partners, including the GAA, in the coming weeks, to discuss this decision in more detail as well as seeking views on the appropriate way forward for Casement Park.
First Minister Michelle ONeill said the decision was deeply disappointing and represented a missed opportunity for sport and our economy.
Casement Park will be built. Its an Executive commitment, and something that both the British and Irish governments have committed to, she said.
Ministers have said they are working with all parties involved to find a way forward for Casement Park
Excavation work underway at the GAA stadium in March
Casement Park was at the centre of a row involving top No 10 aide Sue Gray, who was said to have taken a close interest in the project to redevelop the 34,500 seater stadium in her native Northern Ireland.
Ms Gray ran a pub near Newry, County Down, at the height of the Troubles and was the top official at Stormonts Department of Finance between 2018 and 2021.
It was reported that Ms Gray had pushed for new funding to be announced for the dilapidated venue, claims dismissed as nonsense by Downing Street.
Sources from No 10 said suggestions that Ms Gray was personally dominating negotiations were overblown.
Sue Gray, the Prime Ministers chief of staff, was reported to have been closely involved with the decision over whether to fund the redevelopment of the dilapidated stadium in her native part of the UK
Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said he would engage with the Government to see how Northern Ireland can still benefit from hosting the competition.
He said in a statement that the Government had determined this as not being value for money.
Following this announcement, I will engage with the UK Government and other partners to see how Northern Ireland can still benefit from hosting the competition and ensure that there is a lasting legacy for football in Northern Ireland.
The department remains committed to the 2011 agreement with the GAA for a GAA stadium and we will engage with them in due course.
A spokesperson for Ulster GAA said it was "bitterly disappointing" for their organisation, as well as the IFA and the wider sporting community.
