The UK government has announced that it will no longer provide the funding necessary to complete the renovation of Casement Park in time for Euro 2028. This decision was communicated to Stormont minister Gordon Lyons in a joint letter from Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn and sports minister Lisa Nandy, citing the escalating costs and lack of progress in the stadium construction project. The decision comes after the UK and Ireland were awarded the hosting rights for Euro 2028, with Dublin’s Aviva Stadium confirmed as one of the venues.

However, the original plan to use Casement Park in Belfast as a venue faced challenges due to its inadequate capacity. The intention was to redevelop the unused Casement Park to meet UEFA’s minimum capacity requirements, but the government’s withdrawal of funding has now raised the need to explore alternative options for hosting matches in Northern Ireland. The initial estimated cost for the project of £180 million has now soared to over £400 million, leading to the UK government’s difficult decision to withdraw its financial support.

This decision has been described as the only viable course of action given the circumstances, despite the government’s belief in the partnership for Euro 2028. As a result, efforts will now need to be redirected towards identifying alternative solutions for hosting Euro 2028 matches in Northern Ireland, as the prospect of completing the renovation of Casement Park in time for the tournament has been ruled out.