Euro 2028 stadium remains derelict as rebuild plans thrown into doubt by General Election

Hopes of redeveloping a Euro 2028 stadium in time for the tournament are reportedly ‘fading rapidly’. Northern Ireland’s Casement Park remains derelict just four years before it is scheduled to host five matches at the tournament.

The project is clinging to the belief that the next UK government will provide the necessary funding for the redevelopment to be completed. Prime minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a general election, scheduled for July 4, has thrown the plans into further doubt.

UEFA reportedly expected work to have begun long before now. According to the BBC, the patience of the governing body is being ‘tested’, but its focus is currently on the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany which begins on Friday.

Ulster GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) confirmed on Wednesday that there were hopes of keeping the project alive. President Jarlath Burns has admitted he is “pessimistic” but insists he is not writing off the redevelopment.

A spokesperson said: "Following our joint letter with the Irish FA (Football Association) to the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, we have had confirmation that details of government funding will not be made available until after the UK Parliament elections on July 4.

"To keep this global and transformational opportunity alive, we are now urgently calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to collectively discuss the opportunities that Euro 2028 will create for our society, and the reputational, economic and sporting risk of losing this global event.

"We are also calling for the procurement tender documents to be released without further delay to ensure the project development remains within UEFA timelines.”

Until UEFA cancels plans to host Euro 2028 matches at Casement Park, those in charge of the project are not giving up.

Plans to redevelop the ground initially started in 2012, with hopes that the stadium would be rebuilt by 2015. However, in 2014, the High Court overturned planning permission for the project. Local residents had mounted a legal challenge over the size of the proposed arena.

The GAA later made plans for a 34,500-capacity stadium and were finally granted planning permission in 2021. Local residents lost a fresh legal challenge against the proposals in 2022.

Despite original reports suggesting that the stadium redevelopment could cost around £76m, it is now claimed the cost could rise to around £300m once it is completed. The Northern Ireland Executive has pledged £62.5m, the Irish government has promised £43m, and the GAA has said it would contribute £15m, but no more.

Last year, Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said: "We'll get the money, don't you worry.” But that confidence appears to have subsided, with a leaked letter by Heaton-Harris to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons claiming that the government "will not accept a position where it is expected to cover the scale of funding gap there appears to exist".