Everton have been handed a timely boost in terms of bringing in external revenue for the club via Euro 2028, with the Hill Dickinson Stadium confirmed as hosting five games at the tournament in just over two year’s time.
It’s been a while since Everton have had a stadium worthy of playing its part in a major tournament, especially with Goodison Park going under its last redevelopment in 1994 as a result of the Taylor Report, which required no standing at Premier League grounds.
Euro 1996 saw Everton snubbed in favour of Anfield as Liverpool’s chosen stadia, but with England failing to host a major tournament since, it’s given Everton the upper-hand in terms of the timing of their new Hill Dickinson Stadium being built, with the UK winning the host bid in October 2023.
And, with the Euro 2028 schedule being confirmed on Wednesday, the guarantee of five games at the new River Mersey relic has drawn comparisons to Goodison Park being used at the 1966 World Cup.
Everton v Aston Villa - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Although Goodison – then with a capacity of 50,151 – was smaller than Old Trafford, Villa Park and London’s forgotten White City Stadium, it was chosen as a quarter-final and semi-final venue.
And, with three Group Stage games under its belt, some of the most famous players in footballing history battled it out in L4.
The first match held there was Brazil vs Bulgaria, with footballing legend Pele scoring for the Selecao in a 2-0 win – as well as other famous stars such as Garrincha and Jairzinho playing their part.
Hungary then beat Brazil at Goodison just three days later, with Pele failing to make the starting XI as they fell to a 3-1 defeat.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
Portugal then inflicted further misery on the Selecao, with Pele this time playing a part – with Portuguese hero Eusebio bagging a brace, knocking them out.
That was the case just days later. Hosting a quarter-final, North Korea stunned Portugal by racing into a 3-0 lead inside half an hour at Goodison Park. But Eusebio bagged four to turn the game on its head, with Jose Augusto rounding off the game in a 5-3 goal fest. Eusebio even named Goodison Park as his favourite ground of all-time.
And, as a stadium with grandeur at the time, Goodison hosted one of the semi-finals alongside Wembley as West Germany beat the Soviet Union 2-1, with Franz Beckenbauer scoring the winner past Ballon d’Or-winning goalkeeper Lev Yashin to set up that famous final clash with England.
Eusebio Celebrates
Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Euro 2028 will see the Hill Dickinson Stadium also host five matches
Whilst the Hill Dickinson Stadium is the newest of all the stadiums to act as a host venue for Euro 2028, it won’t quite get the semi-finals.
The first game at the new ground will be on the third day of the tournament, when the third and fourth-drawn teams in Group D will square off in the early kick-off on Sunday, June 11.
Just four days later, the second and fourth-drawn sides will feature in the second of Wednesday, June 14’s three matches, before another quick turnaround for Saturday, June 17, as Group E’s second and fourth-drawn nations will go head-to-head.
Date Teams playing Stage
Sunday, June 11 D3 vs D4 Group stage
Wednesday, June 14 A2 vs A4 Group stage
Saturday, June 17 E2 vs E4 Group stage
Tuesday, June 20 C2 vs C3 Group stage
Saturday, June 24 A2 vs B2 Round of 16
Rounding off the group stage scheduling at Euro 2028 will be Group C’s second and third-drawn countries on Tuesday, June 20.
And, in its final outing of the tournament, the Hill Dickinson will play host to a knockout match in Saturday, June 24th’s evening slot between the second-placed sides in groups A and B.
There may be no Pele, Eusebio or Beckenbauer, but it’s likely that some world-class stars will feature on the sacred Liverpudlian turf in an exciting time for the Toffees. The Hill Dickinson Stadium may even be expanded to 62,000 by that point.