The UK government is “squandering” Northern Ireland’s chances of securing a £100mn boost from hosting five Euro 2028 soccer matches in Belfast, the region’s economy minister warned on Wednesday.
The UK and Ireland are jointly hosting the four-yearly tournament and Casement Park, a derelict Gaelic games stadium, was picked as one of the venues.
But the plan has stalled as the estimated cost of upgrading Casement Park has ballooned to £300mn and UK government financing has failed to materialise — London has promised support but has never committed to an amount.
Jarlath Burns, president of the Gaelic Athletic Association, said he was now “pessimistic” about the Casement Park project.
The only funds lined up are £62.5mn from the Northern Ireland executive, £15mn from the GAA and €50mn from the Irish government.
“In another act of outright contempt for people here, the Tories walked off the pitch with a bag full of broken promises which now risk squandering the opportunity to generate over £100mn in our local economy,” said Conor Murphy, Northern Ireland economy minister.
“It beggars belief that the British government would jeopardise hosting this prestigious tournament,” Murphy added in a statement as this year’s contest prepares to kick off in Germany on Friday.
Organisers Uefa are privately “not very optimistic” about the prospect of Casement Park being ready in time for 2028, even though the Irish Football Association said it was continuing to lobby for “this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. Uefa declined to comment.
The choice of Casement Park — a hurling, Gaelic football and camogie stadium in West Belfast named after an Irish nationalist icon — was already a controversial choice in a region where deep community divisions remain. Questions about the project have grown as the cost of revamping it quadrupled from an original commitment of £77.5mn to £120mn and now to more than £300mn.
Chris Heaton-Harris, UK Northern Ireland secretary, told the BBC last May “we’ll get the money, don’t you worry . . . I guarantee it”. But the ever- increasing cost, compounded by the looming UK general election on July 4, have slammed on the brakes.
In Belfast last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised “significant” but unspecified government funding and a “great legacy” from the tournament.
Burns told the Off the Ball podcast he was “very, very disappointed . . . It’s not looking as if we’re going to get the Euros, and it’s just a great pity because the carrot was dangled in front of us and then it was taken away.”
Consultants Grant Thornton estimated that it could boost one of the UK’s poorest regions by £106mn through hospitality and hotel spending.
Murphy vowed to seek an urgent meeting with the new UK government to demand it “honour the commitment” to help fund the project.
Labour, which is widely expected to win the election, said the Conservatives had “dithered and delayed” but a spokesperson of Labour said: “Any incoming government will have to understand what the costs now are, what is deliverable with partners and to what timetable.”
Supporters say the benefits go far beyond football and money. “It’ll pay for itself in no time,” said Paul Doherty, a Belfast city councillor who runs a food bank near Casement Park. “It would give the community a real lift.”
