Sunderland suffer disappointment as final stadium shortlist for Euro 2028 bid is revealed

Sunderland City Council and Sunderland AFC had worked together on a bid to bring the tournament to Wearside should the bid be successful, and they were successful in securing a place in the initial 14-ground shortlist.

Old Trafford had been one of those grounds in the 14, but Manchester United confirmed last week that they had pulled out of the bid after talks with the FA.

Croke Part and the London Stadium are the other grounds to miss out on the final shortlist alongside the Stadium of Light.

Newcastle United's St James' Park has made the final shortlist, alongside Villa Park, Wembley, The City of Manchester Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow, The National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff, The Dublin Arena and The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Two of the grounds in the final shortlist are as of yet uncompleted: the proposed new Everton Stadium and Casement Park in Belfast.

The bid faces competition from Turkey, with the final decision to be made in September.

A statement from the joint bid said: “The UK and Ireland share a proud reputation as world-leading event destinations which have successfully staged some of the biggest global sporting tournaments – backed by strong government support. This includes the recent record-breaking UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.Our vision – ‘Football for all, Football for good. Football for the future’ – is a promise to help our Associations and UEFA grow a more diverse and inclusive game as well as connect with new audiences and the next generation.”