Turkey, which hosted this year’s Champions League final, has never been awarded a major international football competition. 

The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland will host the 2028 European Football Championship (Euro), while Italy and Turkey will stage the 2032 edition of the tournament, UEFA announced on Tuesday. 

The joint bid of the UK and Ireland advanced unopposed after Turkey withdrew to concentrate on a proposal with Italy for Euro 2032.

In April, the UK and Ireland submitted their final bid to jointly host Euro 2028, with ten stadiums shortlisted as part of the proposal.

The stadiums included in the bid are Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Newcastle’s St. James’ Park, Villa Park in Birmingham, Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Everton’s new stadium and Casement Park in Belfast are included but still need to be built.

The four stadiums that have been scrapped from the tournament are Manchester United’s Old Trafford, The Stadium of Light, the London Stadium, and Croke Park.

Around three million tickets will be available for the 2028 tournament, more than any other edition in the past.

Meanwhile, Turkey finally won a bid after it unsuccessful runs on the previous five occasions in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium has grown to host many major football games, including last year’s Champions League final. However, the country has never been awarded a major international football competition. 

Italy has previously hosted the European Championship on two occasions, in 1968 and 1980.

UEFA’s announcement follows a week after FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup will be held in six countries on three continents.