Casement Park Euro 2028 'lack of legacy for Northern Ireland football has not been addressed'

After Turkey withdrew the only other bid, Uefa confirmed that the ten stadiums put forward by the UK and Ireland – including the currently derelict west Belfast GAA site – will host the prestigious tournament.​

Although it is not yet clear if Northern Ireland will qualify for the finals, or fail to qualify but gain entry through ‘host country’ entitlement, many fans have expressed disappointment that the massive investment required will mainly benefit the GAA – not local football.

Following an exchange of letters with the Irish Football Association, Gary McAllister of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC) said many questions remain unanswered.

“I'm hearing from fans across the country all the time about how unhappy they are with the plan to use Casement Park, and particularly the lack of any meaningful legacy for local football that flows from that,” Mr McAllister said.

In his latest response to Mr McAllister, IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson said the alternative to backing Casement Park was “not to have any ambition for Northern Ireland football and decline to be part of the bid”.

Mr Nelson also said that “the matter of the funding for Casement Park is a consideration for government”.

Earlier this year, the GAA said the total cost of the Casement Park project had risen to between “£112m and £140m – not including VAT,” up from an estimated £77.5m at the outset.

In his letter to the IFA, Mr McAllister said: “What is the ‘Plan B’ is if Casement Park is not completed within the required timescale?

“It is our understanding that to host matches, Casement Park will require additional seating capacity beyond what is planned to be available (circa 26,000).

“With this in mind, has there been a proper exploration of the potential for the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park to receive investment to allow some increase in capacity with the potential for further expansion by way of temporary seating, as will undoubtedly be the case at Casement Park?”

Mr Nelson said: “There is no current funding opportunity from government for any extension to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park. It was rebuilt in 2014-2016 within the constraints of the funding available at that time.”

Commenting on security and safety concerns, Mr Nelson said: "The planning for the access and egress of fans to stadia [Casement Park] will be given every consideration with governmental partners and the PSNI. There is no question it will be overlooked and we will work closely and diligently on all aspects of this.”

In relation to the legacy issue, he said: “The term legacy can sometimes be more nuanced in Northern Ireland. It could even simply be considered in terms of Northern Ireland football only. Government funders will have greater expectations for a legacy for Northern Ireland as a country.

"Given that people here are still on a journey after a difficult past, it would be a shame if we missed the opportunity for better engagement between communities."This is a pivotal moment for football and society in this country. The Irish FA and the Amalgamation can be crucial in playing a positive role in this."