UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has backed the home bid for Euro 2028 after initially calling for the tournament to be awarded to Ukraine ©Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that he remains "entirely committed" in supporting the UK and Ireland’s bid to host UEFA Euro 2028 after he had backed the idea of Ukraine hosting the event earlier.

Johnson also said it was "beyond satire" that Russia has expressed an interest in bidding to host the tournament.

"The idea of Russia holding any kind of football tournament, or any kind of cultural event right now is beyond satire," he said.

"The best thing possible would be for the entire Russian armed forces to retire forthwith from Ukraine and to hand it to them, of course."

However, Downing Street later clarified that Johnson was only responding to a question about Moscow's "brazen and sorely misjudged" attempt to obtain a platform on the international stage.

"Clearly we remain entirely committed to the UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 which retains the Government's full backing," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

Italy beat England in the final to lift the UEFA Euro 2020 trophy at the Wembley Stadium in England last year ©Getty Images
Italy beat England in the final to lift the UEFA Euro 2020 trophy at the Wembley Stadium in England last year ©Getty Images

On February 7, a joint United Kingdom and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 was confirmed after shelving the proposal for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The National Federations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland confirmed the interest in hosting Euro 2028 in a joint statement, citing a feasibility study that analysed the economic impact, "political football landscape" and the cost of staging a major international tournament.

"Hosting a UEFA EURO offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner," the organisations claimed.

"It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host UEFA EURO 2028 and to welcome all of Europe.

"It would also be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the true impact of hosting a world-class football tournament by driving positive change and leaving a lasting legacy across our communities."

While the British Government backed a potential World Cup bid last year, doubts emerged about the feasibility of hosting the event, especially after five failed bids to stage the World Cup since it last hosted in 1966.

It looked like there would be no opposition towards the UK and Ireland’s bid to host the tournament when surprise interests from Russia and Turkey came in before yesterday’s (March 23) UEFA deadline.