A DUP MINISTER has said he is hopeful that Northern Ireland could still host a Euro 2028 fixture, suggesting that a match could be played at Windsor Park.
It comes after the UK government on Friday announced that it would not fund the redevelopment of Casement Park in time for the Euros in 2028 due to “a significant risk that it would not be built in time”.
In a letter to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said the cost of building the Belfast park had risen to £400 million (€470 million).
It was confirmed last October by Uefa that Ireland would host the championship with the UK, and the redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast was named as one of the ten venues chosen to stage games. It was set to host four matches.
But speculation had mounted in recent months that the GAA stadium was set to be axed as a venue for the championship, as the funding required to build the stadium in time for the tournament was still not in place.
The decision has received criticism, with First Minister Michelle O’Neill describing the UK government’s actions on Friday evening as “absolutely shambolic”.
Speaking to Northern Ireland’s Cool FM this afternoon, Gordon Lyons, who is a DUP MLA for East Antrim, said it was “unfortunate” that “all of the eggs were put into the Casement basket”.
“With that now not proceeding, it’s very, very clear that Northern Ireland is most likely going to lose out,” the NI Minister for Communities said.
But he said he would work to see if Belfast could act as a training camp or host warm-up games as part of the tournament, adding: “What other role is it that Belfast could still play so that all of Northern Ireland can benefit?”
Lyons also suggested that Windsor Park could potentially play host to one of the tournament’s fixtures.
However, Uefa requires that all European Championship stadia have a capacity exceeding 30,000. Windsor Park – which hosts Northern Ireland’s home games – holds 18,500 spectators.
“Uefa has its requirements in the size of stadia that is needed in order to host the games, but I would hope that even at this late stage, as those four matches are being redistributed, there might still be an opportunity for Northern Ireland to play its role,” Lyons said.
Perhaps an exception could be made, and some extra work done, to ensure that we might be able still to host a game at Windsor Park.
“That’s certainly something I will be exploring with government and others, because I think that it’s a way in which we can still get a benefit from the Euros in Northern Ireland.”
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said there was a need to “look forward” in relation to Casement Park and said the Irish Government is “ready to assist”.
Speaking during a visit to Derry today, Harris said there was “a real sense of disappointment to so many” that the British Government had decided against providing the funding needed to rebuild the stadium.
However, he said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had given “serious consideration” to the decision and had “in many ways, inherited this situation”.
“He and I discussed it in July in Chequers, we discussed it in recent weeks in Farmleigh, and I know he did give it serious consideration.”
Harris said there was now a need to “look forward” in relation to Casement Park and that the Irish Government “is open” to discussing what more can be done to help in relation to the site.
On Sunday, the Taoiseach recommitted the Government to the €50 million previously pledged to rebuild the sports ground.
When asked whether he was ruling out pledging further funding today, Harris said he was not ruling it out or in.
“The Irish Government is open to continuing to have conversations about anything more we can do to help, but we’re not quite there yet,” he said.
“What we now need to see is what the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive want to do next.”
He said he had spoken to the president of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, and expects to meet GAA representatives in the coming days.
“I’ll stay in contact with the First and deputy First Minister, and with Prime Minister Starmer, but let’s now try and get a bit of forward momentum going on this for once and for all, that’s what has to happen next,” he said.
But what I’ve heard from everybody across the weekend is Casement is going to happen. Casement has to happen. The question is timelines, and the question is on what scale. We stand ready to assist in any practical way that we can.
He said there was a need to ensure that Northern Ireland can still benefit from hosting the Euros.
“These two islands are going to host an incredible sporting spectacle, and that’s going to bring significant economic, tourist and sporting benefit to the island,” he said.
“We need to make sure all parts of this island benefit, and I’m not the expert on these issues, but we remain ready to assist in any way, shape or form we can, to make sure that Northern Ireland also benefits economically from hosting the Euros.”
Jarlath Burns told BBC’s The View programme on Sunday that the GAA’s “pessimism changed to optimism” when Hilary Benn was talking positively about Casement Park being rebuilt.
"The damage was done back in March."@officialgaa President Jarlath Burns tells @endamcclafferty that he is disappointed but not surprised about the UK Government decision over Casement Park... pic.twitter.com/nkr742tNvv
— BBC The View (@bbctheview) September 15, 2024
“Even last week at the Farmleigh talks with the Irish Government, we were starting to get optimistic that there was going to be a major announcement there,” he said.
“But obviously, there’s been a lot of bad news given out in the last week.
Burns said he believes Labour have come to the conclusion “that there’s very little money left and they had to make very difficult decisions”.
It’s the way in which it happened that’s disappointing. We in the GAA feel that the damage was done back in March when the tender documents issued, because we were really up against the clock at that stage.”
Speaking in Dublin today, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Irish Government should be prepared to increase its financial contribution for Casement Park if required.
However, McDonald insisted that the UK Government “can’t wriggle out” of providing money for the stalled redevelopment of the derelict GAA ground.
“I think the priority is that Casement gets built,” McDonald told reporters in Dublin.
“Obviously, the British Government have to meet their commitments. I mean, they’re not going to do it now to the higher level for the European soccer tournament. (That’s) not OK, but that’s their call.
“The critical thing is that the North and that west Belfast gets this infrastructure.”
With reporting from Press Association
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