Scotland to co-host Euro 2028 as part of UK & Ireland bid after Turkey withdraw

Scotland is poised to co-host Euro 2028 after Turkey's decision to withdraw from the process left the joint UK and Ireland bid unopposed.

Euro 2028 will be played at Hampden Park with Scotland set to co-host the tournament as part of a joint UK and Ireland bid. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The collaboration between England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland had been due to go head-to-head with the bid from Turkey, with an annoucement confirming the winning bid expected from UEFA on October 10.

However, European football’s governing body confirmed on Wednesday morning that Turkey has pulled out of the running for Euro 2028 and will instead focus on a joint bid with Italy to host Euro 2032, leaving UK and Ireland as the only remaining bid.

A UEFA statement confirmed: "Further to the announcement on July 28 which revealed the desire of the Italian and Turkish FAs to submit a joint bid to stage Euro 2032, the UEFA administration has today written to both associations to confirm that their joint bid has been duly received and will go forward for assessment and consideration by the UEFA Executive Committee.

"As indicated by the FA of Turkiye with its submission of the request for a joint bid, their bid to stage Euro 2028 is consequently withdrawn.

"The award of both tournaments still requires the approval of the Executive Committee at its meeting in Nyon on 10 October. The presentations at that meeting will be an important part of the process which will take due consideration of the content of the bid submissions before reaching a decision."

The UK and Ireland bid is now expected to be ratified by UEFA’s executive committee at a meeting in Switzerland next week which will see tournament matches played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, the home of the Scottish national team.

Wembley, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, St James’ Park, Villa Park and Everton’s new stadium will all host matches in England, as will Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, which has been preferred to Old Trafford. The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and Casement Park in Belfast – which requires building work – are the other venues being proposed in the bid.

Scotland may not be guaranteed a place in the tournament with UEFA yet to confirm the qualification process for the host nations. It is considered unlikely that all five will be granted an automatic spot due to the unprecedented number of host countries involved.