While Milan and Inter present their new stadium project, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina warns Italy ‘need support from the Government’ to keep their EURO 2032 hosting bid alive.
The issue of ageing arenas has long been a matter of contention for Italian football, as many of the stadiums were either built for or most recently renovated for the 1990 World Cup.
The lack of modern structures is also seen as a reason why clubs are struggling financially to compete with the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga.
It was hoped that Italy could get the hosting duties for the 2032 European Championship, thus unlocking the funds and local authority efforts to restructure or build new stadiums.
Even that is increasingly in doubt, warns Federation President Gravina at the Social Football Summit in Rome.
“We need to present a letter of intent for our candidacy by November 15,” said Gravina.
“What we ask is for the Government to support our candidacy to host the 2032 European Championship. I won’t call anyone, my role is just to raise the issue and there will be a discussion with the new Government, just as there was with the last.”
La Repubblica newspaper also warned that time is running out to get the necessary paperwork in order and being fresh off an election is not helping the situation.
Milan and Inter are today presenting the latest version of their project for a stadium that will replace the existing Giuseppe Meazza, built next to it so the original structure can later be knocked down.