Bumper action in store for Euro 2028 at Aviva Stadium

Dublin’s Aviva Stadium will be in the thick of the action at Euro 2028, with the Southside stadium playing host to seven matches at the tournament.

The Aviva will host seven games at the tournament, including five group games, a round of 16 game and a quarter final.

The seven games were a boost from the originally announced four games; Belfast’s Casement Park was stripped of hosting rights after a funding dispute was not sorted out, meaning that Dublin secured the extra games.

In late 2023, it was announced that a joint bid between the UK and Ireland was the winner of the bidding process, and now the home of Irish football will play host to some of Europe’s top teams in the summer of 2028.

The Euro 2028 final will be held in London’s Wembley Stadium, which played host to the infamous 2021 final; the match was more famous for English fan trouble before the game as opposed to Italy’s penalty shoot-out win over England.

Dublin was due to be a host city for the pan-continental Euro 2020, which did proceed in its pan-Europe form in the summer of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Dublin did not get to fulfil its duty as a host city owing to health restrictions still being in place.

The Aviva Stadium hosted the 2024 Europa League final as a consolation prize, allowing the Aviva to recoup some of the lost revenue.

For sponsorship reasons, the Aviva will be renamed as the Dublin Arena for the tournament.

The government will invest up to €93 million to help deliver the tournament, with €6.2 million being placed into social impact and community activity programmes. 

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, said “Ireland is ready to play its part in delivering a world-class tournament that will excite fans and energise communities across the country.”

“The Government is investing up to €93 million to make it happen, and I am confident the return will far exceed that, in jobs, tourism and pride,” the Minister said.

“This tournament will bring people together, boost local economies and showcase the best of Ireland to the world. EURO 2028 will be a game-changer for Irish sport, and a milestone in showing what Ireland can achieve on the global stage.”

Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam said, “Dublin is deeply honoured to be a host city for UEFA EURO 2028, and we are thrilled to welcome fans from across Europe and beyond to experience the heart of our vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming capital.”

“The opportunity to host seven thrilling matches here will bring world-class football to our doorstep, but more than that, it will leave a lasting legacy for our communities — from stimulating local economic growth to fostering a renewed sense of pride and participation throughout Dublin.”

The North Inner City Fine Gael councillor said, “in 2028, Dublin will pulse with the spirit of the game, igniting a festival of football that reflects the passion, energy, and unity that make our city truly unique. EURO 2028 will not only showcase the very best of Dublin but will also affirm our place as a dynamic and forward-thinking city on the world stage.” 

Croke Park was on the shortlist of potential host stadiums, but was not chosen as part of the final list of host stadiums.

Of course, the million Euro question for Irish football fans is if the Boys In Green qualify; Ireland’s men have not qualified for a major tournament since Euro 2016, when Martin O’Neill’s men made it to the knockout stage.

Play-off heartbreak scuppered hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, while the less said about 2022 World Cup qualification and Euro 2024 qualification, the better, as far as Irish football fans are concerned.

Ireland’s World Cup 2026 hopes are still alive following Troy Parrott’s heroics away in Budapest and against Portugal; Ireland will find out it’s fate in a draw on Thursday, November 20th, and discover their opponents for next March’s play-offs.

UEFA has said that qualification slots at Euro 2028 will be reserved for the two best-ranked host nations who don’t automatically qualify, which means that if two of England, Wales and Scotland qualify, Ireland will be guaranteed a slot at the tournament regardless of performance in the qualification stage.

Euro 2028 will kick off on June 9, 2028, in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.