UEFA have confirmed that the 2028 European Championship will be coming to Liverpool – but not to Anfield.
In arguably the worst-kept secret in football, the UK and Ireland has been officially chosen to host the tournament in five years’ time, although the Reds’ home ground won’t be used.
As explained by the Liverpool Echo, the 61,000-capacity venue (once the current redevelopment is finished) doesn’t meet the European football governing body’s requirements pitch dimensions guidelines for its flagship events, falling four metres short of the minimum length of 105m.
Merseyside isn’t being completely ignored, though, as Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock – which is currently under construction – will host some matches at the 2028 finals.
READ MORE: Luis Diaz breaks silence on notorious disallowed goal with admirable level-headedness
While it’s pleasing to see that our city will play some part in hosting the tournament, it’s disappointing from an LFC perspective that Anfield has been overlooked on such pedantic grounds.
Once the redevelopment work on the Anfield Road Stand has been finished, thus bringing the capacity past the 60,000 mark, Liverpool’s stadium will be a gleaming venue which still holds its time-honoured authenticity.
VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with: I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)
Those of us old enough to remember Euro ’96 will recall how it held four matches at that tournament, including a dramatic 3-3 draw between Russia and Czech Republic in which future Red Vladimir Smicer scored a late equaliser to see his team progress at Italy’s expense.
LFC fans might feel shafted by UEFA once again, with the governing body’s reputation on Merseyside already stained by the disgraceful events surrounding the 2022 Champions League final.
Its inadequate response to the safety of match-going supporters being compromised in Paris that day is obviously much more serious than not choosing Anfield for Euro 2028 due to a technicality, but this nonetheless may seem like another kick in the teeth from Aleksander Ceferin and his cronies.
Pitch is not regulation we know that so no big deal