Euro 2028 organisers have drawn up contingency plans as concerns grow that proposals for a new stadium in Belfast will have to be abandoned.
It is understood that organisers and Uefa are unlikely to select another host city for the tournament if the planned Casement Park redevelopment is scrapped, but would split the three matches scheduled for Belfast among the other nine venues in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Although Uefa’s rules state that official tournament host nations have to stage matches, there would be efforts to keep Northern Ireland involved as part of Euro 2028 by hosting pre-tournament friendlies, training grounds for participating teams and possibly the draw for the tournament.
Casement Park is a derelict Gaelic football ground that has not been used
