UEFA selects Italy and Turkey as co-hosts of Euro 2032
Switzerland’s NYON (AP) — By officially approving a joint bid proposal from Italy and Turkey for the 2032 edition, UEFA all but secured the long-anticipated hosts for the European Championship in 2028 and 2032 on Wednesday.
Switzerland’s NYON (AP) — By officially approving a joint bid proposal from Italy and Turkey for the 2032 edition, UEFA all but secured the long-anticipated hosts for the European Championship in 2028 and 2032 on Wednesday.
Turkey had also submitted a proposal for the 2028 edition, competing against the U.K. and Ireland joint plan, which is now the sole contender.
The UEFA executive committee, which meets next Tuesday in Nyon, Switzerland, must officially ratify both the 2028 and 2032 hosting selections. Those need to be formalities.
“Their (Turkey’s) bid to stage UEFA Euro 2028 is consequently withdrawn,” European soccer’s governing body said in a statement.
Despite its own regulations saying that only adjacent member federations may seek co-hosting, UEFA has approved an Italy-Turkey proposal.
With flights lasting more than two hours, Rome and Istanbul are separated by around 1,400 kilometers (870 miles).
Although Italy does not yet have 10 venues ready or a strategy in place to host a 24-team, 51-game tournament, it is possible that Italy has support in the UEFA governing committee to defeat Turkey in a head-to-head vote.
Although Italy’s building projects, like replacing the historic San Siro stadium in Milan and Stadio Olimpico in Rome, may be bureaucratic and lengthy, the country needs to develop and rebuild an outdated inventory of stadiums.
After a significant national development effort over the last two decades, Turkey’s stadiums and infrastructure are virtually completely finished.
