Russia have launched an audacious bid to replace Italy as the hosts of Euro 2032.
The tournament in seven years time is set to be co-hosted by Italy and Turkey, but there are fears that Italian stadiums will not be ready amid concerns over ageing infrastructure.
And Russia, who have been banned by UEFA and FIFA since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, have claimed they are ready to step in if the issues become a reality.
‘Italy has a stadium problem. If they lose their stadium organisation, we’re here,’ Moscow Football Federation President Alexander Dyukov boldly told Russian website Sport.ru, as reported by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport.
‘Russia is ready to host Euro 2032 instead of Italy,’ he added.
The website went on to claim that only one of the 10 proposed venues in Italy has been approved by UEFA, while they also suggested Turkey could take on sole hosting rights.
Russia, who have continued to play friendlies against non-Western countries since they were banned, did submit bids for both Euro 2028 and Euro 2032, but they were declared ineligible due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Although Dyukov’s comments are unlikely to be heeded by UEFA, the issue of Italian stadiums is one that isn’t going away.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has previously called the situation a ‘shame’, before he also added that Italy had ‘by far the worst infrastructure’ of the biggest European nations.
Speaking back in August, Ezio Simonelli, the president of the Italian league’s governing body, then opened up on his concerns that the country could be stripped of its hosting rights.
‘I’m really worried about Euro 2032,’ Simonelli said in an interview with Italian state radio.
‘Is the candidacy at risk? I hope it’s just my concern, but when the president of UEFA says that our stadiums are in a comatose state and the Euros are in six years’ time, we risk not making a very good impression on an international level.
‘It’s a shame, however, that, beyond Udine, Bergamo and Turin, the rest of our stadiums are in a comatose state. Ceferin has strongly criticised Italian stadiums and I agree with him.’
Italy has several iconic yet old stadiums that need to be improved, including the San Siro in Milan and Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, but attempts to do so can be slow and face bureaucratic difficulties.
Simonelli added: ‘We are behind all the other countries. In the last 18 years we have only inaugurated six stadiums, of which only three are in Serie A. In the rest of Europe, 226.
‘I am very worried. We are pressing the government to streamline the procedure and thus silence the famous ‘no committees,’ which in Italy never get anything done, and the authorities that are supposed to protect cultural heritage.’
