'Nothing has been discussed': No Uefa plans for 32-country Euro 2028

Uefa has told the Irish Examiner that Euro 2028 remains a 24-team tournament, and “nothing has been discussed” about increasing it to a 32-nation finals.

Uefa has told the Irish Examiner that Euro 2028 remains a 24-team tournament, and “nothing has been discussed” about increasing it to a 32-nation finals.

British reports last week stated that European football’s governing body will expand the tournament to include an extra eight countries in six years, when the competition is expected to be hosted by Ireland and the UK.

News of the alleged expansion created some consternation amongst ‘home’ nations, with one source expressing that the criteria delivered by Uefa as part of the application process was for a 24-team tournament only. A 32-nation tournament would mean 23 nations not qualifying, while the majority of member countries would take part.

In what is believed to be an attempt to end all speculation, Uefa issued a short statement to the Irish Examiner to confirm that no discussions have taken place about changing the tournament’s format.

“Nothing has been discussed in regards to the possibility of 32 teams competing at Uefa Euro 2028,” the statement said. “At present, we can only refer you to the bidding guidelines for Uefa Euro 2028, which were published a couple of months ago [and which state a 24-team tournament].”

Within the criteria for the 2028 competition, Uefa set out that the tournament “is set to take place over 51 matches and feature 24 teams”.

It adds: “Joint bids are permitted, provided that the bidding countries are geographically compact.”

The criteria to host a 24-team competition requires potential hosts to have a minimum of one stadium that can seat 60,000 fans, “preferably two stadiums” with at least 50,000 seats, four with 40,000, and three with 30,000.

All interested bids must be confirmed by March 23, with bid requirements revealed to the bidders one week later, with Uefa announcing the shortlist of potential hosts by April 5.

The winners will be revealed in September 2023.

Despite referencing its criteria for a 24-team tournament, Uefa does say in its application rules that the number of teams and number of matches may change — but its insistence, at this point, that it remains a 24-country tournament is significant.

The FAI, along with its partner associations in the UK, will drop plans to enter a bid for the 2030 World Cup after receiving firm indications Uefa will look most favourably on a ‘home nations’ tender for Euro 2028 instead.

As revealed by this newspaper last October, the Euros option has been offered to Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales if all five countries back Uefa’s preferred option of Spain-Portugal going forward for the final Fifa World Cup 2030 vote.

The bidding process for the World Cup in eight years opens in the coming months, with the winner being revealed at Fifa’s Congress in 2024.

Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales have embarked on a feasibility process to establish if a successful bid for World Cup 2030 is a viable and realistic option.