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That’s the message from former Minister of Sport Richard Caborn after the UK and Ireland football associations launched a joint bid to host UEFA’s flagship men’s competition.

2030 World Cup: Looking back at Sheffield's involvement in 2018 bid as UK set to...

England will host the European Women's Football Championship in July, which will see Bramall Lane stage three group games as well as the semi-final for England’s side of the draw, meaning the Lionesses could play in the city.

Denmark fans packing into Orchard Square when England held Euro 96 and Sheffield was a host city

Three group-stage matches and a quarter-final clash will also take place at Rotherham United’s AESSEAL New York Stadium.

The home of football was previously put forward as one of 12 host cities for the 2018 World Cup, with games to be played at Hillsborough stadium, but the tournament was eventually held in Russia.

Potential host cities for Euro 2028 have yet to be announced but former Labour MP Caborn said: "The stage is set for Sheffield to show it can already run a UEFA tournament as good as anybody.

"Sheffield’s got a fantastic opportunity.”

Richard Caborn says Sheffield can put itself in the shop window as a potential Euro 2028 host city this summer. Photo: Dean Atkins.

Mr Caborn, who led England’s bid to host the 2018 tournament, said the UK and Ireland had a ‘very, very good chance’ of landing the tournament in 2028.

The disorder which blighted the Euro 2020 final at Wembley would not harm their chances, he added.

“Will it have long-term lasting effect damage? No. We have learnt lessons from that.

"It was badly run but that’s repairable.”

Caborn called for stricter enforcement of football banning orders and better use of intelligence to spot known troublemakers before they arrive at football grounds.

The last major international football tournament held in England was the 1996 European Championship.

England has not hosted a World Cup since 1966, the year of its only triumph in the tournament, which celebrates its centenary in 2030.

A bid to host that competition has now been shelved, a decision Caborn attributed to a political fallout between UEFA and FIFA, world football’s governing body, over the latter’s attempts to introduce a biennial World Cup.

He added: “The Euros will never, ever displace the real need to have the World Cup here. That's something England fans really, really would like.

"It’s a tragedy the political football landscape won’t allow that on an objective assessment.”

Euro 2028 bid: Sheffield has 'fantastic opportunity' to become host city