Host cities for Euros could be scaled back
UEFA have begun talks about altering the multi-country format of next summer’s rescheduled European Championship, according to reports.
With the Covid-19 crisis having forced the tournament back a year, there are concerns many of the 12 host cities may not want to stage matches any more.
The Daily Mail are reporting that the Spanish and Italian FAs have expressed doubts about honouring commitments for matches in Bilbao and Rome respectively, given what they have experienced due to coronavirus.
Ryan Giggs’ Wales side were due to play Italy in Rome in their final group game this summer.
Other host cities could also be affected by availability issues, with many of the stadiums being used booked up by other events for next summer.
Wembley has had to cancel a number of lucrative gigs in order to be in a position to stage their allocation of matches – which includes the semi-finals and final – but other venues have similar clashes.
Glasgow’s Hampden Park, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and the Amsterdam Arena are all understood to have pre-booked events for next summer.
UEFA insisted they remained committed to the multi-country format when announcing the postponement of the tournament last month, but the report claims that their position has begun to shift.
It also says current UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has never been keen on spreading the tournament across multiple host countries and, given the potential logistical problems caused by the impact of coronavirus, the number of venues may be scaled back.
“Euro 2020 is foreseen to take place between June 11 and July 11, 2021, with the intention of having the same match schedule and the same host cities,” a UEFA spokesman said.
“However, at this stage the match schedule has not been officially confirmed. UEFA is in contact with all 12 host cities and further announcements will be made.”