ICC Belfast has been confirmed as the official venue for the UEFA EURO 2028 Qualifying Draw, set to take place on Sunday 6 December 2026.
The announcement marks the first major milestone on the journey to UEFA EURO 2028, which will be staged across nine venues and eight cities in the UK and Ireland.
The draw will determine the tournament’s group stage matchups, and the live event is expected to attract Europe’s leading national team coaches, association representatives, UEFA leadership and special guests, alongside extensive global media coverage shining an international spotlight on Belfast and Northern Ireland.
UEFA EURO 2028 is projected to generate around £3.6 billion (€4.1 billion) in social and economic benefits across the host nations through job creation, regional development and inbound tourism. The tournament will also support skills-building and employment pathways for volunteers, businesses and suppliers across local communities.
Rob McConnell, chief executive of ICC Belfast, said: "This is another landmark achievement for sport and tourism in Northern Ireland. Having seen the impact of The Open golf event this summer as a showcase for this place, the opportunity to host this pinnacle event in European football here in Belfast is stellar. This event will officially mark the countdown to the EURO tournament in 2028, and we’re looking forward to putting on a city-wide celebration to kick things off in style. The EURO 2028 Qualifying Draw will have all eyes on Belfast on December 6th next year - and we’re already planning how we’ll give the world of football our famous big Belfast welcome.”
Conrad Kirkwood, president of the Irish Football Association, added: "The road to UEFA EURO 2028 starts right here in Belfast. We are incredibly proud that our city will play such an important role in delivering what will be the best-ever EURO - one that celebrates passion, inclusivity and the power of football to bring people together.”
Patrick Nelson, CEO of the Irish FA, said: “It’s a real privilege to host the Qualifying Draw for UEFA EURO 2028 - a key milestone in what promises to be a memorable, world-class tournament. We’ll welcome UEFA’s leadership, national associations and teams to Belfast, giving them the chance to experience everything our city and ICC Belfast have to offer. It’s fantastic news for Belfast, for Northern Ireland and for football across these islands.”
