{"id":295830,"date":"2023-10-11T00:15:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T00:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=295830"},"modified":"2023-10-11T00:15:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T00:15:56","slug":"rob-page-against-wales-games-moving-to-principality-stadium-ahead-of-euro-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/rob-page-against-wales-games-moving-to-principality-stadium-ahead-of-euro-2028\/","title":{"rendered":"Rob Page against Wales games moving to Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Manager Rob Page says Wales should not move home games to the Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028.<\/p>\n
The UK and Ireland\u2019s bid to host Euro 2028 was formally approved on Tuesday, with the 74,500-capacity home of Welsh rugby in Cardiff among the 10 venues to be used for the tournament.<\/p>\n
The idea of playing at the Principality Stadium \u2013 Wales have played there only once since 2011, a 4-1 friendly defeat to Spain in October 2018 \u2013 angers a large section of the Dragons\u2019 fan base, who prefer that games are played at the 33,280-capacity Cardiff City Stadium.<\/p>\n
But Noel Mooney, chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, last month raised the possibility of the men\u2019s national team playing there before Euro 2028 to allow players and supporters to get used to the venue should they qualify for the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I want it? No,\u201d Page said of that suggestion ahead of Wales\u2019 friendly with Gibraltar on Wednesday, which will be only the second time that the Dragons have played at Wrexham\u2019s Racecourse Ground since 2008.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe atmosphere and what we have created at Cardiff City Stadium is incredible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been quite vocal about it in the last couple of weeks because, although we have a game in Wrexham, what we have created in Cardiff is incredible and has definitely played a part in helping us with our success in the last two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cPromotion from B to A in the Nations League, qualification for the Euros and then the World Cup, our supporters in that stadium played a massive part.\u201d<\/p>\n
The atmosphere and what we have created at Cardiff City Stadium is incredible<\/p>\n
All five countries \u2013 England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland \u2013 are expected to go through qualification for Euro 2028, with UEFA understood to be reserving two host nation places for any of the teams which do not make it on merit.<\/p>\n
While the final and possibly both semi-finals could be at Wembley, the FAW is hoping to stage the opening match of the tournament and maybe as many as six games at the Principality Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a grey area. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be an automatic qualification for us,\u201d Page said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s massive for us as a country, nation, Cardiff as a capital. It\u2019s a great achievement (to host Euro 2028).<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone should be proud of bringing the tournament to the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Page is expected to hand senior debuts to Charlie Savage, Luke Harris and Owen Beck in front of a sell-out 10,000 crowd against Gibraltar.<\/p>\n
The trio will then join up with their Wales Under-21 team-mates for Friday\u2019s European Championship qualifier in the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n
Beck, the great-nephew of Liverpool and Wales striker Ian Rush, says he regularly receives advice from his famous relative.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I got called up it was a dream come true, a surreal moment,\u201d said Beck, the Liverpool full-back currently on loan at Scottish Premiership side Dundee.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll my family are coming. I\u2019ve spoken to him (Rush) and if he gives me any advice, it\u2019s from the best and really valuable to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be here watching. He\u2019s someone I look up to, to have a career like that at club and international level. He\u2019s a great inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n
Savage, the son of former Wales midfielder Robbie, told the FAW website: \u201cGrowing up, if someone told me at the age of 20 that I\u2019d be called up by my country, I\u2019d have bitten your hand off. I\u2019ve got to enjoy it whether I play or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to Wednesday. My nan\u2019s coming, she lives about a mile away from The Racecourse. To have all my family there from Wrexham, it will be an amazing night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gibraltar are 198th on the FIFA rankings table with only nine teams below them.<\/p>\n
Julio Cesar Ribas\u2019 side are using the game as preparation for their Euro 2024 qualifier against Republic of Ireland on Monday.<\/p>\n