October 4 – UEFA have announced they have received the formal bid by Turkey and Italy to jointly host the 2032 European Championships, leaving Britain and Ireland as the sole bidder for the 2028 tournament, subject to final approval from the governing body’s executive committee next week.
Italy and Turkey originally wanted to host on their own but in July agreed to ditch their individual bids and merge into a joint submission.
The Turks, who lost out to Germany for 2024, have failed five times to land the tournament while Italy, the reigning European champions, have hosted the Euros twice before, in 1968 and 1980.
The British and Irish joint bid for Euro 2028 is now unopposed after Turkey withdrew from the race and to focus on 2032.
“Further to the announcement on July 28 which revealed the desire of the Italian and Turkish FAs to submit a joint bid to stage Euro 2032, the UEFA administration has today written to both associations to confirm that their joint bid has been duly received and will go forward for assessment and consideration by the UEFA Executive Committee,” a UEFA statement said.
“As indicated by the FA of Turkiye with its submission of the request for a joint bid, their bid to stage Euro 2028 is consequently withdrawn.”
“The award of both tournaments still requires the approval of the Executive Committee at its meeting in Nyon on 10 October.”
UEFA has accepted the Italy-Turkey bid despite its own rules stating only neighbouring member federations can propose co-hosting. Rome and Istanbul are separated by about 1,400 kilometers.
One question still to be resolved is which of the five 2028 countries will be granted automatic qualifying spots. UEFA seem likely to award no more than three at most, according to unconfirmed reports. The prospect of a mini-tournament between the four British associations and Ireland before qualifying starts is apparently one consideration.
Wembley is one of 14 venues across the five countries to have been shortlisted in the bid, with nine English stadia in total, two in the Republic of Ireland and one each in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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