Euro 2028 will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland and the venues for the tournament have now been announced - but Liverpool's Anfield is not among them
A general interior view of Anfield Stadium ahead of a Premier League match
Anfield will not stage any Euro 2028 matches(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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The countdown to Euro 2028 has begun with the dates, kickoff times, stadia and schedule for the tournament all having been announced.
Back in October 2023, it was confirmed that the UK and Ireland had won their bid to stage Euro 2028, and now further details have been unveiled, with the tournament set to kick off in Cardiff on June 9. The final is scheduled to take place at Wembley a month later on July 9.
There are nine venues including Wembley, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow and Cardiff's Principality Stadium. Manchester City's Etihad, Villa Park, St James' Park and Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium are also listed.
Unlike when England hosted the World Cup in 1966 and the Euros in 1996, where the Three Lions played all their home games at Wembley, this time around, they could end up playing matches in Manchester and Newcastle - or potentially at Hill Dickinson, depending on how they progress.
But there is one iconic stadium that remained conspicuously absent as full tournament details were published: Anfield.
While Liverpool will be a host city, the club's iconic stadium was not included on the FA the list submitted to UEFA. Somewhat surprising given the significant redevelopment at the ground in recent years, boosting capacity to over 61,000.
General view inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield
General view inside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield
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But it's omission isn't purely down to choice, nor the fact that because the 52,769-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium was chosen it couldn't be.
Instead, the reason it's been left out is the same issue that has stopped it from staging Champions League or Europa League finals previously: The dimensions of the playing surface.
UEFA's regulations explicitly state that "the field of play must have the standard dimensions of 105m by 68m."
Anfield's pitch measures just 101 metres in length, rendering it ineligible as a venue.
Anfield was last used for a major tournament when England hosted Euro 1996, staging Group C matches involving Italy, Russia and the Czech Republic, as well as a quarter-final between France and the Netherlands.
But when Euro 2028 rolls around, it will be left on the outside looking in.
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