A UEFA delegation will visit Belfast on Wednesday, a source told ESPN, amid concerns over a funding dispute that has thrown into doubt the rebuilding of Casement Park, a venue scheduled to host five Euro 2028 matches.
Great Britain and Ireland have won the rights to host Euro 2028, with matches to be held in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
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But a lack of progress on the reconstruction project at Casement Park, a Gaelic football stadium that has been closed since 2013, has prompted UEFA to make a technical visit to the Northern Ireland capital in an effort to assess the prospects. that the stadium will be ready in time for the tournament in four years.
If the stadium is not completed on time, UEFA will be forced to move the five matches to other host countries due to the lack of an alternative in Northern Ireland.
Windsor Park, the traditional venue for Northern Ireland matches, will not host Euro 2028 matches due to its limited capacity and the inability to expand the stadium further.
There is widespread opposition among Northern Ireland supporters to the decision to allocate games at Casement Park (the stadium is named after Irish revolutionary Roger Casement) because the venue is located in the traditional nationalist area of west Belfast. Windsor Park is based in the traditional unionist area of Belfast.
The project has received cross-party support in the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic due to perceived benefits to all communities, but costs have now ballooned to an estimated £200 million ($253 million). ) and you have to wait until a decision is made. by the British government in terms of funding has put the construction program on hold.
UEFA will meet senior figures in Belfast on Wednesday, including Prime Minister Michelle O'Neill, and will also visit Casement Park to get a clearer picture of the situation.
