Welsh Government supports UK & Ireland UEFA EURO 2028 Bid

The bid to host the UEFA EURO European Championship has been submitted jointly today by the five football associations of UK and Ireland in partnership with their government partners.

The Welsh Government’s support for the bid was confirmed in a letter from the First Minister of Wales to the president of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin.

First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, said:

“It is with great pleasure that we can support the UK and Ireland bid to host the 2028 UEFA European Championships. Together with the Football Association of Wales and our friends and partners in the other bidding nations, I am confident Wales will rise to this challenge and help host the best UEFA EURO ever.

“Wales has so much to offer as a joint host of UEFA EURO 2028. We look forward to working with the FAW and our UK and Ireland partners to make this exciting vision a reality. Football for all. Football for good. Football for the future.”

Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, added:

“Wales is a superb destination for hosting major events. We have a strong and enviable track record of working in partnership with key local partners, including Cardiff, the stadium and our blue light services, to deliver the events themselves and working with wider partners to ensure that, should the UK and Ireland bid be successful, all of Wales reaps the wider social, economic and tourism benefits.

“We used FIFA World Cup 2022 to raise the global profile of the Wales brand and to promote our values, and we are committed to ensuring we replicate this if we host UEFA EURO 2028.”

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said:

“Football is at the heart of our sporting ambitions – whether that’s hosting the hugely successful UEFA Champions League Final in 2017 or proudly sending Wales off to compete in its first FIFA World Cup finals for more than 60 years.

“We also take great pride in the unprecedented support we provide for the women’s game in Wales, investing in grassroots and youth football across Wales and we are committed to working with partners to use UEFA EURO 2028 as a platform for further investment.”

Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said:

“Cardiff is a vibrant and welcoming city, with a really strong track-record of successfully hosting major sporting events, and the prospect, if the UK and Ireland bid is successful, of bringing together football fans from across Europe to enjoy our unique history and culture, as well as the incredible match-day atmosphere, is really exciting for the city.”

Nigel Walker, WRU Group Acting CEO said:

“I’m proud to be working alongside our partners at the Football Association of Wales (FAW), Welsh Government and the home nations in supporting the UK and Ireland’s bid to host UEFA EURO 2028. 

“We have a strong track record of delivering major sporting events at the National Stadium of Wales, and many of them major football occasions, from several FA Cup Finals to the UEFA Champions League Final in 2017.

“The potential to add another one of football’s most prestigious tournaments to our sporting legacy is thrilling and we are committed to delivering an outstanding experience both on and off the field should the bid be successful.”