Tourism boost predicted as Villa Park confirmed as Euro 2028 venue

The UK and Ireland’s staging of football’s European Championship in 2028 is set to provide Birmingham and the West Midlands with a tourism boost.

That’s according to Andrew Lovett, chair of the West Midlands Tourism & Hospitality Advisory Board, following the announcement that Villa Park will be among the host venues for the Euro 2028 tournament.

Governing body UEFA officially awarded the tournament to the UK and Ireland yesterday after the only rival, Turkey, withdrew to focus on a bid for the 2032 event.

Villa Park will be among the 10 host venues alongside Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur in London, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Hampden Park in Glasgow, Newcastle’s St James’ Park, the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Casement Park in Belfast and the new home of Everton Football Club in Liverpool.

Mr Lovett, who is also CEO of the Black Country Living Museum, says Birmingham and the West Midlands are in for an exciting summer due to Villa Park’s involvement.

Villa Park previously hosted games during Euro 96 – the last time the European Championship took place in the UK.

Mr Lovett said: “It is tremendous news that the UK & Ireland have won the right to jointly host Euro 2028, with Birmingham – and the wider West Midlands – set to play an important role by welcoming games at one of European football’s most iconic stadiums, Villa Park.

“Football is a huge draw for inbound tourism in the UK, and extremely valuable to the economy, with more money spent by international football fans than the average overseas visitor to the UK.

“We have shown in the West Midlands – thanks to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and other major sporting fixtures such as The Ashes – that we love hosting world-class sporting events, and always put on a great show for visitors.

“Anyone who remembers or attended matches at Villa Park at Euro 96 will know that we are set for an exciting summer of football in 2028.”