UEFA threatens to strip Italy of Euro 2032 hosting rights
Italy faces what local media call a “national disgrace” and “catastrophe” as UEFA warns it may transfer the entire Euro 2032 football championship to Türkiye due to Italy’s stadium problems, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has repeatedly criticized the country’s outdated infrastructure, calling Italian stadiums “a disgrace” and warning that “even small countries like Albania have made more progress… this is about the future of Italian football.”
The crisis deepened after Milan lost the right to host the 2027 Champions League final over delays in renovating the iconic San Siro. Plans for a €300 million overhaul stalled when local authorities blocked construction, citing the stadium’s cultural heritage status.
Italy and Türkiye won the joint bid for Euro 2032 in 2023 to ease costs - Türkiye already has five modern stadiums, Italy only one. However, of the ten venues proposed by Italy, UEFA approved just one: Juventus’ Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The federation must submit the final host city list by October 2026, but construction deadlines loom. Milan must begin work on a new arena by March 2027 or be excluded. Some clubs, like Napoli, have pledged to build stadiums with private funds, but Italy’s bureaucracy remains a major hurdle.
According to Turkish media, UEFA may hand the entire tournament to Türkiye, which has ten compliant stadiums ready. Without rapid progress, the final - once expected in Milan or Rome -could take place in Istanbul.
Earlier, it was reported that the Japan Football Association is considering a bid to host the 2046 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The proposal is expected to be a joint effort with other East Asian nations, including South Korea and China, as well as Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia.