Italy's Long-Term Challenge on the Road to UEFA Euro 2032

Italy is navigating a prolonged transitional phase, both on and off the field. A persistent long-term issue is poised to resurface imminently, with crucial decisions anticipated in the lead-up to Euro 2032.

As co-hosts of Euro 2032 with Turkey, Italy still lacks certainty regarding the specific cities that will stage the tournament in six years. A primary concern is the aging stadium infrastructure across Italy. Many venues require substantial upgrades to meet modern UEFA standards, including improvements to lighting, seating accessibility, hospitality areas, safety systems, and the overall fan experience.

The Stadio Meazza in San Siro, Milan, has already failed UEFA's assessments, necessitating that the Milan city council identify an alternative venue. While AC Milan and Inter Milan have acquired the San Siro area and are planning a new stadium nearby, the project is currently under investigation by the Italian Financial Police, causing delays.

Turin, however, appears confident in its bid, largely due to Juventus's Allianz Stadium. In Naples, the city council has approved refurbishment works to meet UEFA requirements. Napoli's president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, also aims to build a new stadium elsewhere in the city. Similarly, Rome is seeing its owners work on plans for a new stadium, while renovations are also planned for the Stadio Olimpico to make it suitable for Euro 2032.

Giovanni Malagò, the new FIGC President, addressed the Euro 2032 challenge, stating, "I pushed myself past my concerns, I struggle to resist the call of Italian sport, and have many challenges, including the deadline of July 31 for the dossier of EURO 2032 stadiums. We have a six-year plan, building up to the European Championship that we are co-hosting, where we must try to recover the gap that is clear for all to see."

Michele Uva, UEFA's Executive Director for Euro 2032, previously commented, "Italy will host Euro 2032 and will have its five host stadiums. There are no delays, and everything is on schedule. There is no cause for alarm. We simply need to keep working. At the moment, eight stadiums remain in contention. By the end of July, the Italian Football Federation will select five stadiums, plus two reserve candidates to submit to UEFA. The five final host venues will then be officially ratified during the first week of October."

Uva further emphasized the event's significance: "We are talking about the third-largest sporting event in the world. It generates €3.5 billion in revenue and an overall economic impact of around €10 billion, shared among the ten host cities." He also noted, "There is an ongoing dialogue with the Italian government. We cannot afford to lose the European Championship, and I can say that we will not lose it. However, if the city of Milan does not build a new stadium, we will host the tournament without Milan. As things stand, San Siro does not meet the requirements to host a European Championship. If Milan and Naples fail to meet the required standards, they will not be included in the final bid dossier."