The FIGC, the Italian Football Association, will make a run to host Euro 2032, and not the 2028 one as previously suggested. The decision came shortly after the United Kingdom stopped pursuing the 2030 World Cup to zero in on such edition of the continental competition, Calcio e Finanza reports.
The governing body issued a statement: “We recently communicated our intention to organize Euro 2032 to UEFA. We did it largely before the March 23rd deadline. Italy hosted it in 1968 and 1980, on top of four games of the recent traveling tournament.”
“UEFA announced that they will assign Euro 2028 and 2032 simultaneously. Our president Gabriele Gravina opted for the second option. The choice will permit to have more time to plan the renovation of our stadiums and the construction of new ones.”
The release added: “The success of opening ceremony of Euro 2020 at the Stadio Olimpico and the excellent organization of its matches, plus the determination to bring a major competition back to our country convinced the president to formalize our candidacy. According to the UEFA timetable, the presentation will be by April 12th, 2023. The executive committee will make its selection on September later that year.”
Gravina has been a fierce supporter of this proposition since earning his second term. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the United Kingdom and Ireland figured to be formidable opponents for Euro 2028. Therefore, the Italian officials elected to postpone their pursuit to 2032.