Casement Park project: GAA president Jarlath Burns says completion in time for Euro 2028 now unlikely

GAA president Jarlath Burns. Photo: Ulster GAA

The west Belfast GAA stadium is one of ten across the UK and Ireland provisionally approved as host venues for European Championship matches.

When complete, it will be the only stadium in Northern Ireland with the minimum 30,000 seating capacity stipulated by Uefa.

However, the project has suffered a number of setbacks, including legal challenges on planning grounds and spiralling costs due to the delays.

Casement Park in west Belfast has been derelict for several years

GAA president Jarlath Burns has now said that “it’s not looking as if we’re going to get the Euros”.

The latest suggested cost of building the new stadium has risen to more than £300 million – up from the original estimate of £77.5m.

Mr Burns said he still expects the redevelopment of Casement Park to go ahead, but not necessarily to the standard required by Uefa for tournament hosting, the Belfast Telegraph has reported.

Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland hurling championship at the Michael Cusack Centre in Co Clare, he said: “Having attended the final of the Europa League in the Aviva, I can see what Uefa brings to a stadium and to an event. West Belfast deserves that and we’re not getting it. It’s just a great pity because the carrot was dangled in front of us and then it was taken away.

“And actually the big loser here is going to be the game of soccer in Northern Ireland society and the economy. The Department for the Economy was waiting to weigh in with all sorts of other things that were going to come from there. It’s just a pity. But we’re still very hopeful and expectant that we’re going to get the funds to make a provincial stadium where we can play our Ulster finals.”

Mr Burns added: “The whole project is being run by the Strategic Investment Board and they have been telling us that in order to get the tenders in and to find out what it’s going to cost, it’s going to take six weeks – and then there’s going to have to be another four weeks for appeals to that.

"We’re working away, we’re clearing the site and that. But at the end of the day, it’s UEFA and their timelines are important. It has to be up and running for almost a year before you can actually say that it’s properly functional, so I’m now pessimistic that the Euros will be played in Casement Park."