Italy faces new UEFA warning over Euro 2032 participation

UEFA Chief Warns of Euro 2032 Uncertainty Over Italy’s Stadium Infrastructure

Aleksander Ceferin, the head of UEFA, has expressed concerns about Italy’s ability to co-host Euro 2032 due to the condition of its football stadiums. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ceferin stated that “some of the worst in Europe” is a description he would use to describe Italy’s stadium infrastructure.

The tournament is scheduled to take place and will indeed occur, according to Ceferin. However, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that Italy’s stadiums are ready for the event. If this is not possible, the tournament may be relocated from Italy.

Italy has 11 cities vying to host matches at Euro 2032, including Rome, Florence, Bologna, and Naples. The country must submit five stadium options by October, with the option to present new or existing stadiums that require redevelopment. Only one stadium, Juventus’s Allianz Stadium in Turin, is currently ready for use.

Several Italian football clubs are working on new stadium projects, including Inter Milan and AC Milan, who plan to build a 71,500-capacity arena on the site of their current San Siro stadium. Roma has received approval to build a new stadium in Rome, while Fiorentina’s Artemio Franchi Stadium is undergoing redevelopment.

The city of Naples has presented a renovation project for the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, which includes a budget of 200 million euros. The warning from Ceferin comes after Italy missed out on a spot at the 2026 World Cup for the third consecutive time, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their UEFA playoff final.

Source: Al Jazeera