Newcastle United's 2028 stadium date revealed as supremo makes emotional return | Chronicle Live

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Newcastle United are not moving out of St James' Park any time soon - despite fresh internal discussions about stadium options with new CEO David Hopkinson this month.

The former Real Madrid supremo has held early discussions with key figures behind the scenes at St James' since being appointed earlier this month.

Hopkinson has already dropped a few hints about the importance of the location of Newcastle's home ground and the ex-Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Knicks and La Liga supremo told the official website: "Each team I worked for was the most important thing in that community.

"And the arena or stadium is situated in the centre of the city. I haven't worked for one where it was in a suburb, 15 miles from downtown. That is really important.

"Where ScotiaBank Arena is in Toronto, or where the Bernabeu is in Madrid, right on Castellana. Where Madison Square Garden is, the absolute heart of Manhattan. Where St James' Park is in Newcastle. Location matters.

"What's clear to me is how much the pride people in Newcastle have for their community is expressed as love for Newcastle United. That's awesome. That's energising. That's exciting. That's what matters. Not every team in every community can claim that."

But as the delay continues on the announcement over what Newcastle do next, Hopkinson has also learned that United have been chosen as one of the hosts for Euro 2028, with St James' Park set to stage five group matches of the UEFA summer tournament.

After visits from UEFA officials from the start of 2025, those who will be organising the Euros were told that St James' will be fit to deal with the games it has been allocated in three years time.

And while UEFA chiefs were interested in Newcastle's plans moving into the future, and potentially beyond summer 2028, they were assured that St James' in its current format would be the likely and more than capable venue to stage some of the big games in the north at the eagerly anticiapted tournament.

Newcastle City Council has already agreed to accept an £8.6m grant from UK Sport to help towards the costs of hosting the Euros.

Hosting the tournament is expected to cost the city about £14.5m, which includes the cost of the fan zone, decorating the city in Euro 2028 branding, with St James' obviously the centrepiece for Newcastle as hosts.

To support the festival of football that summer, the Town Moor will be turned into a fan zone with capacity for 15,000 to 20,000 supporters.

Newcastle's stadium development options moving ahead are likely to be a bigger stadium on Leazes Park, which could house up to 70,000, or an upgraded St James' Park which could be boosted to 65,000 with a new Gallowgate End the standout feature.

As reported by Chronicle Live earlier this month, Toon chiefs are working hard to offer an update on stadium plans after it was anticipated, by both the club and supporters, that early 2025 would see some information released publicly.

Behind the scenes talks have continued with all the relevant bodies and director Roger Thornton, appointed 12 months ago, is key to discussions on a possible new stadium.

Thornton's relationship with Newcastle City Council is deemed vital with the Magpies' next steps on the journey to unfold with the South Shields businessman at the centre of developments.

One city source told us last year: "Roger is basically the Reuben brothers' guy in Newcastle. Roger works closely with Newcastle City Council and has done on the Reuben developments in the city such as the redevelopment on Grey Street.

"Having him on the board is like a new signing in terms of the stadium! He knows to get the club and the council what is needed for stadium redevelopment. Nothing can happen without Newcastle City Council and Roger has so much experience."

Since his appointment, Thornton has been working with council chiefs as the club prepare to publicly unveil plans for both a new stadium elsewhere in the city or a revamped St James' Park.

Thornton has pored through the club's stadium feasibility project with Chief Operating Officer Brad Miller in recent months with insiders shown breathtaking images of the plans.

As Chronicle Live reported on December 28 last year, club chiefs are understood to have been shown exciting early drafts of what a revamped St James' and a new stadium elsewhere could look like.

The images are not for public consumption at this stage but have been looked at by Toon chiefs at various board meetings in 2025.

The former CEO left the club earlier this month after a handover period to new incoming supremo Hopkinson.

But Eales was a special guest at the Barcelona game on Thursday night as he took in the reward for last year's fifth place finish under his guidance.

Eales looked a proud man as Newcastle lined up for the Champions League anthem and donned his club suit and ties in the director's box.

Eales said recently: "To all supporters, staff, players, coaches and ownership, you have made my three years here so incredible and I'm immensely proud of what we have achieved together."

"I have made memories that will stay with me forever, and I'm also excited about what the future holds and the successes the club can go on to achieve."

United turned to the man responsible for the emotive Diogo Jota tifo on display for Wolves' clash with Man City earlier this season.

The tifo at Wolves read: "We'll remember you when you walk in fields of gold". And it won worldwide acclaim as the perfect tribute to the former Liverpool and Wanderers star.

It's why Newcastle consulted Haydn Gamble of Rope Task Limited to organise Thursday's display with the tifo kept top secret until the players walked out.

United stars did not know what was to come ahead of the Barca game and were blown away by the display at he East Stand.

Working with Wor Flags, Haydn helped produce a memorable display that went viral.

It featured ropes and pulleys and was unfurled with AC/DC blaring out of the stadium speakers, flanked by banners displaying the words "Newcastle United Back in Black & White"