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Wales Online
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Paul Abbandonato

Aaron Ramsey and Harry Kane spearhead Euro bid which would see games in Wales and Principality Stadium renamed

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has teamed up with Harry Kane to help head a joint UK and Ireland bid to host what is being dubbed 'the greatest Euros' of the lot.

Former Arsenal and Cardiff City man Ramsey is pictured at the forefront of a promotional image which also includes the captains of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as the official bid to stage the 2028 Euros was presented to UEFA today.

The five captains - Ramsey, Kane, Andy Robertson, Steven Davis and Seamus Coleman - have thrown their full support behind the ambitious project.

The home nations say they would put on a record-breaking Euros, with the biggest number of supporters and most commercially successful tournament yet.

Ten state-of-the-art stadia have been put forward to host games, including Cardiff's Principality Stadium. Because of strict UEFA rules on branding, the iconic home of Welsh rugby would be renamed National Stadium of Wales for the Euros, should the bid prove successful.

The change of name would mirror something similar that happened when UEFA brought the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus to the Welsh capital in 2017. That proved a hugely successful venture, with the FA of Wales earning plaudits throughout Europe for the way they hosted football's biggest club match.

READ MORE: The full Cardiff Champions League dossier and the wonderful gestures sent by Real Madrid and Juventus to say thank you

With 74,000 seats available, the Cardiff ground - which could see the dream scenario of Wales playing tournament football in front of their own fervent fans - is the second biggest venue put forward in the bid.

Only Wembley, with a 90,000 capacity, can stage more spectators.

Five Premier League venues are also part of the bid - the homes of Tottenham, Manchester City, Everton (new ground), Newcastle and Aston Villa.

Glasgow's Hampden Park, the Dublin Arena ( Aviva Stadium) and Casement Park in Belfast make up the 10 venues submitted.

Legendary football venues such as OId Trafford and Anfield are not part of the mix.

"This is a unique and pioneering five-association partnership," say the FA of Wales in a joint statement today with the other governing bodies.

"We are committed to delivering a record-breaking tournament with more tickets to grow a more diverse and inclusive game.

Cardiff's iconic Principality Stadium (Huw Evans Picture Agency)

"The bid is a detailed plan that shows how our nations are collaborating to stage an historic football festival for whole of Europe and take the tournament to new heights.

"We are delighted to propose to UEFA a world-class stadia concept tailormade for EURO 2028. This plan is enhanced by our excellent technical facilities.

"High-capacity, world-famous football grounds and state-of-the-art new venues will provide the platform for the biggest and most commercially successful UEFA Euros – making us a low risk, high reward host.

"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. Our vision 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 of fans and volunteers.

"To mark the bid submission moment, the captains of our men’s national football teams showed their support for the UK and Ireland bid."

The various governments are supporting the joint bid and the FAs say: "With our governments’ once-in-a-generation legacy investment, we share and support UEFA’s plan that hosting UEFA EURO 2028 is a significant opportunity to transform football development and generate meaningful economic, environmental and social benefits."

Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "I am confident Wales will rise to this challenge and help host the best UEFA Euros. Wales has so much to offer as a joint host. We look forward to working with the FAW and our UK and Ireland partners to make this exciting vision a reality."

WRU acting chief executive Nigel Walker said: "We have a strong track record of delivering major sporting events at the National Stadium of Wales, and many of them major football occasions, from several FA Cup finals to the UEFA Champions League final in 2017. The potential to add another one of football’s most prestigious tournaments to our sporting legacy is thrilling and we are committed to delivering an outstanding experience on and off the field should the bid be successful."

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