The ongoing debates over the proposed redevelopment of Casement Park are threatening to scupper Ireland’s hopes of co-hosting the 2028 UEFA European Championship.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) stadium has been proposed as a venue for the tournament which is scheduled to be staged in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Casement Park has not been used in over ten years as plans to revamp the stadium have been tied up by financial arguments, legal objections and a lack of clarity over government support.
UEFA regulations require stadiums to have minimum 30,000 capacity, which rules out the possibility of Windsor Park being used as a venue for the tournament.
Original financial projections put the cost of redeveloping Casement Park at around £77 million, but some analysts claim the final bill will be more than double that figure.
However, the Irish Football Association (IFA) recently suggested the final bill will be £120m – the bulk of which will be funded by the United Kingdom government.
The GAA has previously committed to contributing £15m to the project, which is now being forecast to get underway in the middle of 2024.
This would allow sufficient time for the redevelopment to be completed in time for Euro 2028, but further delays could deliver a devastating blow to the plans.
South Belfast Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP Claire Hanna has been a vocal supporter of the project, describing it as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ to establish a legacy for Irish sport.
“We must use the benefits that come from the tournament to create more opportunities for young people to get involved in sport, and creating better facilities will be a big part of that,” Hanna said.
“Alongside health benefits, the past has shown us that involvement in sport can be hugely important in bringing people together and that’s something that can help us heal our divided society.
“The benefits that come from Euro 2028 will leave an indelible mark on this place – it will bring millions to our economy and visitors from around the world.
“A redeveloped Casement Park will lead to new jobs and investment in Belfast and change the football community in this place for the better.
“While acknowledging the challenges that still have to be overcome, the SDLP are hugely positive about the benefits of bringing this tournament to Northern Ireland and that’s the message we took to the IFA.”
The economic and sporting impact of staging Euro 2028 are not the only benefits Ireland would garner from redeveloping Casement Park.
Having a state-of-the-art stadium capable of hosting major GAA events would provide a massive boost to Gaelic sports across the Emerald Isle.
While sponsors and broadcasters already pump significant funds into GAA sports, other potential revenue streams remain untapped.
Unlike many other major sports organisations in Ireland, the GAA has previously been resistant to forging links with the online gambling industry.
However, redeveloping Casement Park would undoubtedly raise the profile of GAA events and increase interest from sports betting sites in Ireland.
Wagering on the GAA is hugely popular in Ireland, but having a new stadium to host events on the northern part of the island would take things up a notch.
Whether that would force the GAA to reconsider its stance on gambling partnerships is unclear, but it would undoubtedly spark further debate about the issue.
On that basis, it is imperative that all stakeholders start pulling in the same direction to ensure that the proposed Casement Park redevelopment is not hit by any further delays.
