CLUBS FIGHT TO BE EURO HOSTS

TOTTENHAM, West Ham, both Manchester clubs and Everton will begin their battle to host matches at Euro 2028 in earnest next week, when UEFA confirm it will be a 24-team tournament.

UEFA wanted to expand the event but that was rejected by broadcasters on the grounds that qualifying matches would be unattractive to viewers and advertisers.

The Home Nations’ joint bid to host featured 14 stadiums in case 32 nations were competing, but that will now be trimmed to 10 venues, with English grounds set to miss out. One of Spurs or West Ham will be culled, while only one of United, City and Everton will make the final list, with Newcastle expected to pip Sunderland. Glasgow’s Hampden Park, Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Belfast’s Casement Park and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and Croke Park are guaranteed games, so five English grounds will be chosen, two of which will be Wembley and Villa Park. Turkey are the only other country bidding to host the finals and the British and Irish bid is expected to win easily.