As a result of being told that a proposal to host the World Cup Finals would have little backing outside of Europe, the local associations have almost been assured the European Championships in 2028.
While there are three 50,000-capacity stadium options in Glasgow, European football’s biggest stadium and one of the most well-known in the world appears to have been bypassed for Hampden and an Edinburgh rugby stadium.
The Scotsman reports:
“It is understood 18 grounds are in the frame for what could be an expanded tournament. The European Championships is currently made up of 24 teams but it could be increased to 32 for the 2028 edition.
“Two grounds have been pinpointed in Scotland to host matches. Hampden Park, which hosted four matches at Euro 2020, is guaranteed as the home of Scottish football.
“Celtic Park and Ibrox are unlikely to be considered with Scottish Rugby’s BT Murrayfield a proposed venue. It holds 67,500 fans and is used to hosting big events.”
For Hampden’s maintenance, it’s likely that government assistance will be required, given the stadium hosted matches at the European Championships last summer and received little praise for its facilities.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has refused several attempts to bring matches to Murrayfield, but it appears that any Scottish bid must include Edinburgh.
