Hansard

I feel as though I am talking about football all the time in this chamber, but that is not a bad thing for me—it is an important part of our society and of Scotland. In the debate that we had last night, Stephen Kerr made an important point about what our football clubs bring back to our communities.

Football defines the good days and the bad days in Scotland—it is what we are all about. During the debate last night, I mentioned the fact that the modern passing game was created by Glasgow’s Queen’s Park. In the original Scotland-England games, way back in 1872, there was a draw. For the next nine years, because we had a passing game as opposed to the more rugby-orientated English game, we won nine of those games. If only things could be like that now, at the tournaments that we are in.

Football gives us that moment—that Kenny McLean from the halfway line moment. Incidentally, in that Denmark game, we had Kenny McLean, John McGinn and Lawrence Shankland, who, along with manager Steve Clarke, all came through the ranks at St Mirren in Paisley. As I always say, all roads lead to Paisley.

The bill is about ensuring that we have what we need to enable Scotland to co-host a major championship. It is about Scotland stepping up and doing the job properly, delivering a major international event in a way that only Scotland can, which includes one that works for our communities, our fans and our country.

Euro 2028 is a massive opportunity for Scotland, both on and off the field and, with the current crop of the Scotland national team, who knows what will happen? As the minister said, the hosting will be a major event not just for Glasgow or for Hampden but for the whole nation. As I have said before, this is an opportunity for us to showcase Scotland on an international stage. It is for the tartan army—the media darlings and best ambassadors that our nation has—to do their thing, be friendly, enjoy themselves and make the tournament one to remember.

Members will notice that I have already got us qualified at this stage. We know how to do this, and we have the experience from other major events. We have got this. Scotland has a proud track record of delivering major sporting events from the Commonwealth games to Euro 2020 to world-class cultural events that welcome people from every corner of the globe.

The bill is about making sure that we meet our obligation as a host nation while doing so in a way that is proportionate, time limited and fair.

One of the core purposes of the bill, as we have already heard, is to tackle ticket touting. Let us be honest—touts do not add any value to football. They do not help fans and they do not help our communities; they help themselves. The legislation makes it clear that tickets should go to fans at face value, and should not be sold for profit. It is about protecting ordinary supporters—the people who save up, plan ahead and just want to see their team play.

The bill also deals with unauthorised trading and advertising around event zones. That is not unique to major football tournaments; it is the same for any other major events, including the Olympics, the Commonwealth games, rugby world cups and even Eurovision. Again, it is not about shutting people out; it is about ensuring fairness and safety and protecting the integrity of the tournament.

I welcome that Glasgow City Council will be required to provide guidance and offer alternative arrangements for affected street traders, because where would we be without the shout of “Hats, scarves and flags” as we go to a game? That matters, because it is all part of our game. We want a festival atmosphere, not a heavy-handed one. Importantly, amendments agreed at stage 2 strengthened civil rights protections, including the right to peaceful protest.

Across Scotland, football is part of who we are. It brings people together across generations, whether it is kids kicking a ball in the park or families gathering to watch a big game. Euro 2028 gives us the chance to showcase Scotland as a modern, confident and welcoming nation and as a place that can host world-class events while staying true to our values.