Casement Park GAA row: Irish Football Association accused of 'absolute lack of ambition' in delivering state-of-the-art stadium for Euro 2028

The west Belfast stadium is one of ten venues – including Wembley, Hampden Park and the Aviva in Dublin – selected for inclusion in the bid, despite having been derelict for several years.Northern Ireland football fans have expressed concerns for their safety if ascending en mass to any NI matches that could be held there in future.

They normally carry Northern Ireland flags and have expressed concern that Casement Park and its environs was associated with republican rallies and IRA violence during the Troubles.

North Belfast DUP MLA Philip Brett has now gone public to ask the Irish Football Association why it did not put forward its own bid for a Euro 2028 stadium.The IFA has given its backing to the bid to redevelop Casement Park.

"As a Northern Ireland fanatic, the news that we have been confirmed as a host for Euro 2028 should be the stuff of dreams," he said.

"But the absolute lack of ambition by the IFA to deliver a state-of-the-art football stadium capable of hosting matches and that would provide a lasting legacy for the next generation of footballers is nothing short of an embarrassment.

"The IFA have managed to become a glorified lobbyist for others sporting bodies, rather than fighting to repay the undying loyalty of their fans and investing in the future of the National Team.”

The News Letter invited the IFA and GAA to respond to his comments, however neither offered any response.

Earlier this week an umbrella group representing Northern Ireland fans pressed the IFA over the matter.

The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC) chairman Gary McAllister said: "We are asking what the legacy for local football will be, how does football in Northern Ireland benefit.

"I don't think anyone doesn't want to see Northern Ireland host a major tournament. It's something most of us never expected to be possible but we have a number of questions regarding the Irish FA's participation as hosts," he told the BBC.

"It remains our view that football tournaments should be hosted by football stadia.”

The IFA offered no response.

But former Ulster and Ireland rugby international Trevor Ringland backed the investment.

"When the stadium debate took place many years ago one of the primary concerns for rugby and football was that the stadium desired by the GAA would be too big for 95% of their games - and that remains the case," he said.

He said that IFA and NI football fans have been "magnificent" in making the sport cross-community in NI and said the GAA also "want to play their part in reconciliation".

West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the investment is a NDNA (New Decade New Approach) commitment and that both the Irish and British governments and the GAA have committed to the funding