UEFA Chief Ceferin Warns Italy Could Lose Euro 2032 Hosting Rights

Aleksander Ceferin has warned that Italy risks losing its role as co-host of Euro 2032 if urgent improvements are not made to its football infrastructure.

Speaking in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the UEFA president described Italy’s stadiums as “some of the worst in Europe” and stressed that hosting rights are not guaranteed if standards are not met.

“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,” Ceferin said.

Italy is set to co-host the tournament alongside Turkey, but concerns over outdated facilities and slow redevelopment progress have raised doubts about its readiness. Ceferin also pointed to deeper structural issues, noting that Italian football’s biggest challenge lies in “the relationship between the football authorities and politics.”

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Italy must submit a shortlist of five host stadiums by October, with 11 cities currently in contention, including Rome, Milan, Naples, and Turin. However, only Allianz Stadium, home of Juventus, is currently considered fully ready for a major international tournament.

Several projects are underway to meet UEFA requirements. AC Milan and Inter Milan are planning a new 71,500-capacity stadium to replace San Siro by 2031, although the land sale is under investigation for alleged irregularities.

Elsewhere, AS Roma has received approval to build a new stadium in Rome, while Stadio Artemio Franchi is undergoing redevelopment. In Naples, authorities have unveiled a €200 million renovation plan for Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, aimed at modernising the venue regardless of Euro 2032 hosting duties.

With UEFA deadlines approaching, Italy faces mounting pressure to accelerate infrastructure upgrades or risk forfeiting its role in staging one of Europe’s biggest football tournaments.