O'Neill backs Euro 2028 games in Belfast & Dublin

Martin O'Neill captained Northern Ireland at the 1982 World Cup and later managed the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2016

Martin O'Neill has said that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland hosting matches at Euro 2028 would be "really fantastic".

Dublin's Aviva Stadium and Croke Park, and Belfast's Casement Park, which is yet to be redeveloped, are three of the 14 venues submitted as part of the dossier.

"I would be in full backings of that. That would be fantastic, really fantastic," former Northern Ireland captain and Republic of Ireland manager O'Neill told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"I remember after the World Cup in England in 1966, every single game was played in England. I was 13 or 14 years of age and wondered what the World Cup would be like if it was played in Northern Ireland.

"Teams would have to go and play at Solitude, Windsor Park and the Oval. In 1966, my old team Lisburn Distillery were still playing at Grosvenor Park, so I used to think about all the people would be arriving in the country and playing in those [stadiums].

"In many aspects, [2022 World Cup host nation] Qatar feels like that, like people are going to be bumping into each other, but in terms of the north and south having a joint bid I think it would be fantastic."

The proposed shortlist of stadiums includes Premier League grounds Villa Park, Everton Stadium, London Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, St James' Park, City of Manchester Stadium and Old Trafford.

Planning permission for a 34,500-capacity Casement Park was granted in July

The list also features Sunderland's ground Stadium of Light, Wembley, Hampden Park in Glasgow and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast was not selected for the bid as its 18,500 capacity falls short of Uefa's minimum requirement of 30,000 to host European Championship games.

As a result, Casement Park - which has not been in use since 2013 - could stage matches if the bid is successful and the west Belfast venue is included in the five associations' final list of 10 stadiums, which must be submitted to Uefa in April.

When asked about his thoughts on Casement Park potentially hosting Euro 2028 games, O'Neill - who managed the Republic at Euro 2016 - recalled how he was not allowed by Antrim GAA to play a MacRory Cup game at the venue in 1971 because he was playing Irish League football for Lisburn Distillery.

This was despite the GAA's Rule 27 - which prohibited GAA members from playing or watching "foreign games" before the rule's abolition in 1971 - not extending to schools' competitions.

"Well, I wasn't allowed to play Casement Park because I was playing soccer," said the 70-year-old, who was speaking at the launch of his new book.

"When I was at St Malachy's College in Belfast, playing a MacRory Cup game, which is the Ulster Colleges, we were playing against St Mary's CBS and we had to travel to Omagh because I was playing for Distillery and not allowed to play at Casement Park.

"So isn't it great to see how the rules have changed now and if Casement Park was used for soccer, sure isn't that a step forward?"