GAA president admits Casement unlikely for Euro 2028

GAA president Jarlath Burns had admitted Casement Park is unlikely to be ready to host Euro 2028 matches, describing his outlook as ‘pessimistic’.

The ground – set to have a seated capacity of 34,578 upon completion – had been scheduled to be among the venues for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

When it was first envisaged €88 million was the projected bill, but that has increased over time.

The Irish government allocated €50m for the redevelopment back in February.

However with the UK government not giving specific promises amid an election period and Stormont funding is also up in the air, an air of uncertainty remains.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has insisted their government will make a “substantial contribution” but refused to say exactly how much or if it would happen quickly to ensure the tournament comes to Northern Ireland.

A total of €17.5m of the build is due to be funded by the GAA, although rising costs could require a greater contribution.

“It’s not looking as if we’re going to get the Euros,” he told the Belfast Telegraph, while revealing the project would proceed as a provincial GAA venue.

“The whole project is being run by the Strategic Investment Board and they have been telling us that in order to get the tenders in and to find out what it’s going to cost, it’s going to take six weeks.

“And then there’s going to have to be another four weeks for appeals to that. We’re working away, we’re clearing the site and that. But at the end of the day, it’s UEFA and their timelines are important.

“It has to be up and running for almost a year before you can actually say that it’s properly functional, so I’m now pessimistic that the Euros will be played in Casement Park.

“Having attended the final of the Europa League in the Aviva, I can see what UEFA brings to a stadium and to an event.

“West Belfast deserves that and we’re not getting it. It’s just a great pity because the carrot was dangled in front of us and then it was taken away.

“And actually the big loser here is going to be the game of soccer in Northern Ireland society and the economy.

“The Department for the Economy was waiting to weigh in with all sorts of other things that were going to come from there. It’s just a pity. But we’re still very hopeful and expectant that we’re going to get the funds to make a provincial stadium where we can play our Ulster finals.”

The Aviva Stadium would be the only Irish stadium as part of Euro 2028, unless Croke Park replaces it.

That venue, as well as the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, West Ham’s London Stadium and Old Trafford in Manchester were part of the initial proposals that didn’t make the final cut.

That decision may now be revisited.

Burns also revealed to RTÉ Sport that the GAA may look at changing to “dynamic” pricing for the All-Ireland finals after some criticism of the increases announced last week.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland on Monday morning, he said: “We do understand that €100 is a lot for an All-Ireland ticket.

“It was a very big move for us to go to three figures but remember it’s the first time since 2018, it’s only the second time since 2011 (that the GAA has increased its final ticket prices). We all know where inflation has gone.”

Now he has raised the possibility of tickets closer to the pitch being at the higher end of a structure with more favourable prices elsewhere.

He told RTÉ Sport: “There are good seats and there are better seats in Croke Park and it is maybe something we could look at in the future, to have a more dynamic pricing structure perhaps.

“That is something we could look at for next year.”