"Walking past the closed gates of Casement Park, it's hard to believe that in less than four years, this stadium could host a major football tournament," wrote Andy Gray for BBC. The battle for the EURO continues, but it is unlikely to have a happy ending.

Costs rising, funding missing

The UK government announced on September 13 that the estimated costs for the £180 million Casement Park redevelopment project by Populous have risen to £400 million. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated that the rising costs, combined with concerns about the timely completion of the stadium, make it inappropriate to continue funding the project. After consulting experts and conducting an analysis, we have concluded that there is a significant risk that the stadium will not be built on time… This is partly because there has been almost no progress on the stadium’s construction between the awarding of Euro 2028 and the selection of a new government. The redevelopment must be completed by summer 2027 to meet UEFA requirements.

Ireland left to fend for itself

The Irish government had previously committed to contributing £42.15 million for the site development. Taoiseach Simon Harris described the withdrawal of British funds as a disappointment but stated that Ireland's funding commitment remains. We cannot lose sight of the opportunity to have another world-class sports facility in a city that is thriving through sport, said Harris. How to proceed is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK government, and I will be speaking with the First Minister and his deputy about how we can assist.

According to BBC, £120 million has been allocated to the Casement Park redevelopment, which has been closed since June 2013. This amount includes £62.5 million from the Northern Ireland government, £42.15 million from Ireland, and £15 million from the Gaelic Athletic Association, the owner of the venue. However, due to rising costs, there is a significant financial gap. The GAA has categorically stated it will not provide more than the previously declared £15 million. In July, the Irish government announced it was essentially ready to increase its financial commitment from the mentioned £43 million. In his appearance on the Sunday Politics program, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris emphasized that the Irish government will not let us down.

What about Windsor Park?

Casement Park is the only stadium in Northern Ireland included in the bid to host Euro 2028. This is despite the fact that Northern Ireland's national team plays its home matches at Windsor Park, which has a capacity of 18,500, but does not meet UEFA’s requirements for tournament matches. The prospect of playing national team games at a stadium located in a predominantly nationalist area of Belfast, away from Windsor Park, has caused divisions among fans. Last year, Gary McAllister, chairman of the Northern Ireland Official Supporters Club, expressed doubts about the legacy that hosting the European Championships at Casement Park would leave. He added that, in his opinion, these matches should be played at football stadiums. However, the Irish Football Association has already stated that increasing Windsor Park’s capacity, even temporarily, is not possible.

During recent Northern Ireland matches, including the one against Bulgaria at Windsor Park, fans displayed banners reading no to the expansion of the stadium. They voiced their opposition to the project. If Casement Park is not redeveloped in time for Euro 2028 and no alternative solution is found, Northern Ireland’s role as a host nation will be in serious doubt.