A general view of Casement Park on October 8, 2023, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Casement Park is one of the proposed venues for UEFA Euro 2028. Getty
The majority of unionists in Northern Ireland would prefer no Euro 2028 games take place in Northern Ireland than matches taking place at the GAA's Casement Park.
Casement Park, which requires extensive renovations, has been selected as one of the ten venues in Ireland and the UK that will host games at the European football championships in 2028.
The Belfast stadium has been dormant since 2013 and will have a capacity of 34,000 when it is redeveloped for the tournament.
Northern Ireland currently play international matches at the National Football Stadium in Windsor Park, but the south Belfast venue only has a capacity of 18,500, which is well below UEFA's minimum requirement of 30,000, making it ineligible to host games at the tournament.
As a result, the undeveloped Casement Park was included in the Euro 2028 bid instead and is due to host five games at the tournament.
However, the choice of a GAA stadium in Northern Ireland has proved divisive, with several unionist politicians raising concerns about the cost of the development project.
A recent LucidTalk opinion poll for the Belfast Telegraph has found that just 12% of unionists support hosting games at the venue, compared to 94% of nationalists. A total of 69% of Alliance/Green voters support hosting games at Casement Park.
A total of 69% of unionists are against hosting games at Casement Park, while 61% of unionists would prefer no Euro 2028 games to take place in Northern Ireland if the only alternative is the GAA stadium.
Meanwhile, 69% of unionists said they would not support the Northern Ireland football team if the team qualifies for the tournament and the games were being played at Casement Park.
Overall, 54% of people in Northern Ireland support hosting games at Casement Park.
A total of 3,046 people took part in the opinion poll, which took place between October 27 and 30.
Northern Ireland football fans have also voiced their opposition to hosting games at Casement Park.
At Northern Ireland's recent Euro 2024 qualifiers against Slovenia and San Marino at Windsor Park, fans unfurled a banner proclaiming "No Casement", while a section of fans sang "You can shove your Casement Park up your h*le".
Plans to redevelop Casement Park were first unveiled in 2011, with Stormont pledging to pay £62 million of the estimated costs of £77 million and the GAA pledging to pay the remaining £15 million.
However, delays to the project have caused the price to almost double, with the latest figures estimating that the project will now cost £130 million.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that the GAA is sticking to the original sum of £15 million, despite the rise in costs.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said last month that no extra money would be made available from Stormont for the project.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also addressed the issue last month and said the Irish Government would be prepared to foot some of the bill.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has also indicated that the UK Government is prepared to offer financial support for the project.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O'Neill has said that it would be the "opportunity of a lifetime" for Northern Ireland to host games at Euro 2028.
"The hosting of this prestigious tournament will help create jobs, strengthen the economy and showcase everything that makes our island and people amazing," O'Neill said last month after Ireland and the UK were confirmed as hosts for Euro 2028.
"This is a unique opportunity to unite communities and bring people together from across the political divide and from across these two islands using the power of sport.
"It is now time to move forward to build Casement Park to ensure we have another first-class, state-of-the-art sporting facility for Ulster Gaels, and to host major games like this."
Casement Park is one of ten host venues for the Euro 2028 football championships.
Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Glasgow's Hampden Park, and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff have also been selected as host venues along with six venues in England.