The UK and the Republic of Ireland will soon be confirmed as joint hosts of the European Championship in 2028 after no other countries bid to stage the showpiece event, according to multiple British media outlets.

Both the Guardian and the Times confirmed that the UK-Ireland bid was the only submission on the table ahead of Wednesday's deadline. This means the process of confirming the hosts of Euro 2028 can be accelerated, with a meeting of UEFA's executive committee on April 7 providing the opportunity to make the formal decision. 

The Daily Mail revealed that UEFA had strongly encouraged a UK and Ireland bid during informal talks last year as they are regarded as risk-free hosts who could deliver a financially successful tournament in front of passionate fans in packed stadiums. 

Sky Sports said UEFA will increase the size of the competition from 24 to 32 teams for Euro 2028, therefore a minimum of 12 host grounds will be needed. With Wembley Stadium likely to host the final, competition among other venues could be fierce. 

"We think it's a brilliant opportunity for the five federations and governments to come together," said English Football Association Chief Executive Mark Bullingham, whose confidence in a 2028 bid was shared by the heads of the Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and Irish associations. 

"This is the third biggest sports event in the world and we've got a good opportunity to bring it to our collective countries and make a massively positive impact," he was quoted as saying by the Independent. "And we also know we can deliver a really strong commercial return to UEFA and we feel that puts us in a strong position."