A joint UK and Ireland bid to host the men’s European Championship in 2028 moved a step closer to being confirmed on Friday, after Turkey and Italy announced they were to bid together to stage the tournament in 2032.
Turkey were the sole competitor for the plan proposed by England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to host the 24-team tournament in five years’ time.
An alliance with Italy gives those two countries a clear run in 2032, however, meaning that Turkey’s 2028 proposal is unlikely to be developed further.
According to a statement from Uefa, the joint Turkey-Italy bid will be assessed to make sure it conforms with bidding criteria. Should that test be passed it will be presented to Uefa’s executive committee on 10 October, when decisions on hosting both 2028 and 2032 are to be made.
In April, when confirming the UK-Ireland offer, the chair of the FA, Debbie Hewitt, said a successful bid would mean a “record-breaking and unforgettable” European Championship.
“We will focus on growing football, connecting with and engaging new fans, players and volunteers,” she said. “Together, we want Uefa Euro 2028 to be the catalyst for a new and sustainable era for football, from the grassroots to the very top of the European game.”
Euro 2020, which was delayed by a year because of Covid, was the first 24-team European Championship and was held in 11 different countries. Speaking after the tournament, the president of Uefa, Aleksander Ceferin, said that the scope of the tournament had been too broad, but that he would be supportive of competitions being shared by smaller countries.
“We are not considering such Euro tournaments in 10-11 countries, that was complicated enough,” he said. “It was a good idea. It was the 60th anniversary of the Euros, some pan-European friendship … These were the elements of that idea.
“I’m not saying that the idea was bad. But my feeling is that Euros should take place in one or two countries if we’re talking about smaller countries.”
