Many football fans across the UK might be surprised to learn that some of England’s most famous football grounds, including Old Trafford, Anfield, and the Emirates Stadium, will not host any matches for Euro 2028. While these stadiums are well-known for their rich history and thrilling matches, specific requirements and future development plans have led to their exclusion from the list of host venues. Instead, nine other prominent stadiums across the UK and Ireland have been selected, promising an exciting tournament experience.
🏟️ The Chosen Venues for Euro 2028
The Euro 2028 tournament will feature games across nine impressive stadiums, offering a wide array of top-tier facilities for players and fans. These include iconic venues like Wembley Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England, along with Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Other selected English grounds are Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Villa Park, St James’ Park, and Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, ensuring a fantastic setup for the championship.
📏 Anfield’s Pitch Falls Short
One of the most talked-about exclusions is Anfield, the historic home of Liverpool. Despite Liverpool being a host city, Anfield itself will not feature because its pitch dimensions do not meet UEFA’s strict guidelines. UEFA requires the field of play to measure 105 metres by 68 metres. Anfield’s famous pitch, while almost there, measures 101 metres, just slightly under the required length. This small difference unfortunately rules out the legendary stadium for the tournament.
🏗️ Old Trafford’s Future Plans and Age
Old Trafford, the iconic home of Manchester United, also misses out on hosting Euro 2028 matches. The decision stems from the stadium’s age and ongoing, ambitious development plans. Manchester United reportedly aims to build a brand new 100,000-seater stadium, a project that will take several years to complete and will not be ready before Euro 2028. This long-term vision, combined with the current stadium’s condition, made it unsuitable for UEFA’s requirements for the upcoming tournament.
✨ Emirates Stadium’s Capacity Upgrade
Similarly, Arsenal’s state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium is another notable absence from the host venue list. This exclusion is also due to planned redevelopment work. Arsenal is considering an upgrade to increase the stadium’s current capacity of 60,700 to over 70,000 seats. These significant renovation plans mean the Emirates Stadium will not be available or fully compliant for the Euro 2028 tournament, as the work would conflict with the event schedule.
