On Wednesday, UEFA unveiled the official branding for the event announced the match schedule for the final in just over two and a half years.
Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium will host five matches in the competition, consisting of four group matches and a round of 16 match, which could potentially be England versus Wales if they both qualify and finish second in their respective groups.
Anfield misses due to UEFA regulations
As explained by MailsportAnfield is said to have been excluded from the venue selection process from the start.
That’s because UEFA rules require that pitches in stadiums hosting European Championship matches have the ‘standard dimensions’ of 105 meters long and 68 meters wide. The playing field in Liverpool’s stadium is four meters too short to meet the first requirement.
Anfield was rejected despite major expansion since 2016
Like the tournament itself, Anfield has undergone significant expansion since hosting four matches at Euro ’96, with Federico Chiesa’s father Enrico scoring for Italy in one match, and a goal for future Red Vladimir Smicer in another in a thrilling 3-3 draw between Russia and the Czech Republic.
At the time, the stadium’s capacity was just over 42,000 and the finals featured 16 teams; Liverpool’s home now seats 61,276 paying supporters, with the league comprising 24 countries.
Even as the redevelopment of the Main Stand and Anfield Road Stand over the past decade has significantly modernized the venue and increased its capacity, UEFA’s red tape over the pitch’s dimensions means it will miss out on Euro 2028.
Adding to the annoyance for Reds fans will be the fact that Everton’s new ground will instead enjoy international exposure, although that is certainly not something Anfield is missing given LFC’s annual presence in European competition.
Even if Italy qualify for the next European Championship, our current number 14 will not get the chance to emulate his father in scoring for his country in L4. However, we won’t complain if he continues to do that for his club!
You can watch Slot’s full post-Man City press conference via Kingdom of the Kop on YouTube:
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