Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings is set to land a stunning role on the board of directors for Euro 2028 and will combine playing Premier League football with organising the tournament in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt names her board this week to deliver the finals in three years time and it is understood that Mings, 32, has been earmarked for a position.
Chief executives from the FA of each host country will sit on the board but there are other roles including independent non-executive directors to form a team that will bring 51 matches in the space of a month in three years’ time.
Mings will be the most high-profile current player to hold such an influential position while still playing. The last of his 18 caps for England came almost two years ago and he would be able to provide the perspective of an international player to the organising team for the tournament. When the finals start he will be 35 years old and is expected to still be a player when it kicks off.
The former Ipswich and Bournemouth player has worked on charitable projects away from playing during his career, including supporting an initiative backed by Prince William to end homelessness, having experienced it himself as a child. He also has a football academy in Birmingham and is director of interior-design company KTM. His work saw him once named in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list to recognise “young visionaries”.
While he was ruled out for all of last season after a serious injury on the first weekend of the Premier League campaign, he has returned last October and made 16 appearances including in the Champions League where he has helped Villa reach the quarter-finals.
Being one of the key people behind Euro 2028 will strengthen the view that he could eventually stay in football administration when he eventually hangs up his boots. The FA declined to comment when asked about Mings’ role in Euro 2028.
Uefa confirmed England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Republic of Ireland as hosts in 2023, running unopposed after Turkey withdrew to focus on a bid with Italy for Euro 2032. Casement Park in Belfast was named as a host venue but there are doubts over whether it will be ready in time, and their games could be spread across other host cities.
