UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has issued a stark warning to Italy, stating that the country risks being stripped of its right to co-host Euro 2032 with Türkiye due to the poor condition of its football stadiums, which he described as "some of the worst in Europe". In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Čeferin asserted, "Euro 2032 is scheduled and will take place, of that there is no doubt. I just hope that the infrastructure [in Italy] will be ready. If that’s not the case, the tournament will not be held in Italy."
The UEFA chief suggested that Italian politicians should reflect on why the nation's football infrastructure ranks among Europe's lowest, adding that the core issue in Italian football is "the relationship between the football authorities and politics". Italy faces an October deadline to nominate the five stadiums that will host matches for Euro 2032, with 11 cities currently in contention: Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Genoa, Bari, Naples, Turin, Cagliari, and Palermo.
Italy may propose new stadiums or those requiring redevelopment, provided construction begins by March 2027. Currently, only Juventus's Allianz Stadium in Turin is fully prepared for the summer international tournament. Inter Milan and AC Milan recently purchased San Siro from the city and aim to complete a new 71,500-capacity arena on the same site by 2031, though the land sale is under investigation by Milan's public prosecutors' office for alleged bid rigging.
In Rome, AS Roma received approval from local authorities to build a new stadium in the eastern part of the city, while Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi Stadium is undergoing redevelopment. Last month, Naples presented a renovation project for the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, home to Serie A champions Napoli. The project, which includes removing the running track surrounding the pitch, has a budget of €200 million and was described by Mayor Gaetano Manfredi as necessary "regardless of 2032".
This warning comes just two days after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive edition, becoming the first former champion to hold this unwanted record. Gennaro Gattuso's side was defeated 4-1 on penalties by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA playoff final for a spot in the 2026 tournament.
Source: www.aljazeera.com