Liverpool has been confirmed as one of the host cities for Euro 2028, but Anfield will not be among the tournament’s selected stadiums.
On Wednesday, UEFA revealed the official branding for the competition along with the match schedule for the finals, set to take place in just over two-and-a-half years. Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is set to host five games, including four group-stage matches and a round of 16 fixture—potentially England vs Wales if both teams qualify and finish second in their groups. According to Mail Sport, Anfield was never in contention due to UEFA regulations.
UEFA requires pitches for European Championship matches to meet standard dimensions of 105 metres by 68 metres, but Anfield falls short by four metres in length.
Anfield has a long Euro history, having hosted four matches at Euro ’96—including Federico Chiesa’s father, Enrico, scoring for Italy, and a memorable 3-3 draw between Russia and the Czech Republic featuring a goal from future Red Vladimir Smicer. At the time, the stadium held just over 42,000 fans and the tournament had 16 teams. Today, Anfield’s capacity has grown to 61,276, while the Euros now feature 24 nations.
Despite modernisations such as the redeveloped Main Stand and Anfield Road Stand, UEFA’s strict pitch regulations mean the stadium will miss out on Euro 2028.
Reds fans may be frustrated that Everton’s new stadium will enjoy the international spotlight instead—though Anfield’s regular European fixtures already provide plenty of exposure.
And while Italy may qualify for the next Euros, Liverpool’s current number 14 won’t get the chance to replicate his father’s feat of scoring for his country at Anfield. That said, fans won’t mind if he keeps doing it for the club!
Leave a Reply