The Executive has been informed by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn that the UK Government will not provide funding to rebuild Casement Park in time for EURO 2028.
In a letter from Hilary Benn and Sports Secretary Lisa Nandy to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who is responsible for sports in NI, they confirmed that the estimated cost is now over £400 million.
“The estimated build costs have risen dramatically – from £180m when the EURO 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 to potentially over £400m – and there is a significant risk that it would not be built in time for the tournament.”
“We have therefore, regrettably, decided that it is not appropriate for the UK Government to provide funding to seek to build Casement Park in time to host matches at EURO 2028.”
The Government admitted that it had been a “very difficult decision to make”, but that they had no other option.
Five matches were due to be played at Casement Park – a currently derelict GAA stadium in West Belfast.
She continued: “Casement Park will be built. It’s an Executive commitment, and something that both the British and Irish governments have committed to.
“The decision not to proceed with Casement Park in time to host UEFA Euro 2028 is deeply disappointing and a missed opportunity not only for local sport, but for our economy.
“This was a unique opportunity to create jobs, boost tourism, and showcase our island’s sporting talent on the global stage. We will continue to work with the GAA, our local executive and the two governments to push this project forward and get these state-of-the-art facilities built and a first-class stadium for Gaelic games delivered.
“To make this announcement on the same day as pausing funding for the transformational City and Growth Deal for our towns and cities smacks of cynicism from the British Secretary of State. Hilary Benn has said clearly that Casement Park will be built, so I would urge his government to honour the commitments they’ve made and let’s get it built.”
The DUP minister said: “The UK Government has confirmed that, having receiving expert advice and analysis, they are not in a position to make any contribution to Casement Park to host Euro 2028 matches.
”I have been informed that it would not have been possible to build the stadium in time and that costs had escalated to over £400 million. Therefore the UK Government have determined this as not being value for money.
“Following this announcement, I will engage with the UK Government and other partners to see how Northern Ireland can still benefit from hosting the competition and ensure that there is a lasting legacy for football in Northern Ireland.
The department remains committed to the 2011 agreement with the GAA for a GAA stadium and we will engage with them in due course.”
Letter to Minister Lyons in full
Dear Gordon,
You wrote to the previous Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 22 March and again on 4 June, regarding the funding requirement for Casement Park, in order for it to be built to the appropriate specification to host matches at EURO 2028.
As you are aware, our Departments have been engaging closely with UEFA and project partners to understand the stadium requirements, funding implications and deadlines. The Government has always been committed to ensuring that Northern Ireland could host the EUROs if there was any way to achieve that. And so, when we took office in July, we said that we would swiftly, but fully, analyse whether Casement Park could be successfully completed to the required UEFA timelines and in line with their minimum requirements.
Having sought expert advice and analysis, we have concluded that there is a significant risk that the stadium would not be built in time (including to host essential test events well in advance of the tournament). This is in part because in the period between the awarding of EURO 2028 and the election of the new Government, almost no progress was made to deliver the stadium build. The estimated build costs have risen dramatically – from £180m when the EURO 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 to potentially over £400m – and there is a significant risk that it would not be built in time for the tournament. We have therefore, regrettably, decided that it is not appropriate for the UK Government to provide funding to seek to build Casement Park in time to host matches at EURO 2028. This has been a very difficult decision to make, given our belief in the EURO 2028 partnership, but it is the only way forward in the circumstances.
We will continue to work together with partners and UEFA regarding Northern Ireland’s involvement in EURO 2028 moving forward, and remain fully committed to ensuring that the tournament positively impacts on the whole of the UK, providing a legacy for football and people across all four home nations.
As we understand it, the Executive remains committed to building Casement Park and you will no doubt want to take stock of the project in light of this decision. We will, therefore, seek engagement with NI partners, including the GAA, in the coming weeks, to discuss this decision in more detail as well as seeking views on the appropriate way forward for Casement Park.
We are copying this letter to the First and Deputy First Minister, the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties, as well as Ulster GAA President, Ciaran McLaughlin and IFA President, Conrad Kirkwood.
Yours sincerely,
THE RT HON HILARY BENN MP
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
THE RT HON LISA NANDY MP
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR CULTURE, MEDIA & SPORT
