Ian Maxwell vows Hampden upgrade is coming as SFA chief talks up joint Euro 2028 bid 'certainty'

The UK is going up against Turkey in the bidding process although Hampden will be the only Scottish stadium used to host games if successful.

Ian Maxwell has vowed that a Hampden upgrade is coming should the joint UK bid to host Euro 2028 be successful.

The Scottish FA has joined forced with their English, Welsh, Northern Irish and irish counterparts to lodge a final bod for the tournament, with Turkey the opposition ahead of UEFA’s decision in September. Hampden will be the only Scottish venue used to stage games north of the border and the SFA chief has confirmed that they will make improvements to the ground.

The home of Scottish football beat off competition from Murrayfield to remain as the national stadium a few years ago, with a pledged refurb funded by Sir Willie Haughey, along with Sir Tom Hunter. Former amateur owners of the stadium, Queen’s Park, are in the process of moving to a redeveloped Lesser Hampden, and Maxwell says there will be work done on it's big brother next door.

“We’re always looking to improve the stadium,” he said. “That happens alongside Euro 2028. As the stadium owner now, we have to make sure the supporter experience is as good as it can be. There will be some additions and improvements that are made as part of the Euro 28 bid and hopefully when we’re successful, we can work out what those will look like.

“We bring certainty. We bring a track record. The stadiums and countries that are included in the hid have a track record of hosting world class sporting events. A number of them have been football.

“We’ve got easy transport links. Whilst it’s five nations, we are close geographically and that means it;s accessible for supporters. That track record will be important when UEFA are assessing the bids.”

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