UEFA awards 2028 Euros to U.K. and Ireland, 2032 Euros to Italy-Turkey bid
The decision was made public on Tuesday in Nyon, Switzerland
UEFA awarded the United Kingdom and Ireland on Tuesday the right to co-host the 2028 European Championship, while Italy and Turkey landed the tournament in 2032.
The announcement was made by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin at a ceremony in Nyon, Switzerland.
“I would like to congratulate the bidders and host associations, whose dedication, hard work and commitment have been duly recognised today,” Ceferin said. “Together, we will create unforgettable editions of this great tournament that will unite us and celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship.”
The U.K. and Ireland bid won UEFA approval after they ended a plan to be Europe's preferred candidate for the 2030 World Cup. FIFA awarded that tournament last week to six nations on three continents — a bid spearheaded by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
The 18th edition of the tournament will see the European Championship return to England for the third time ever. England solely hosted the Euros in 1996 and matches during the 2021 pan-European edition, including the final at Wembley Stadium won by Italy.
The bid proposes that Cardiff's Principality Stadium would host the opening match, while the final would return to Wembley.
“For me as a Welshman, I would love for Cardiff to host the opening match," said former Wales captain Gareth Bale, who attended the presentation, told the BBC. “We have the stadium and infrastructure for it. We've held big tournaments in the past so we have the experience.”
The 19th edition of the tournament, meanwhile, will take place in Italy for the fourth time after solely hosting the 1968 and 1980 editions, while games were played in Rome in 2021. This will be Turkey’s first time as a Euro host.
In a statement, the Italy and Turkey 2032 Bid Partnership said: “We offer our gratitude to UEFA for giving two countries sharing Mediterranean culture the honor to co-host UEFA Euro 2032. The Italian Football Federation and the Turkish Football Federation have united their strength with their bid to host the best Euro ever held, establishing new bridges of friendships and leaving a lasting contribution to the football legacy.”
The 2024 Euros will be played in Germany this coming summer.