ITALY and Turkey will co-host Euro 2032 – despite the joint bid BREACHING Uefa’s own regulations.
The European football governing body’s rule states that joint hosts must be neighbouring countries.
Yet despite the nearest points of Italy and Turkey being around 600 miles apart – with Greece between them – the 2032 tournament will be split equally with five stadiums in each country.
Astonishingly, the Turks are in a better place in terms of infrastructure than Italy.
They are likely to use as many as four stadiums in Istanbul plus one in the capital Ankara.
Meanwhile, Italy have received positive responses from Uefa on just three grounds.
Their FA boss Gabriele Gravina said: “The challenges we face are enormous and we’ve never had the courage to face them before.
“Euro 2032 will be a great stimulus, full of opportunities.”
Turkish counterpart Mehmet Buyukeksi added: “This is a great day for Turkish football, one that many of us having been dreaming about for years.”
Before the action in nine years time, the 2024 Euros will be held in Germany at the end of this season.
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It will be followed by the 2028 tournament, which Uefa confirmed will be hosted in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Turkey were competing with the British Isles bid but with them on course to lose they withdrew and turned there attention to partnering Italy for 2032.