UEFA chief Uva warns ‘only one Italian stadium’ ready for EURO 2032

UEFA director Michele Uva warns Italy have a serious problem getting five stadiums ready to co-host EURO 2032 with Turkey, as so far the only arena up to code is the Allianz Juventus Stadium.

The plan originally was to host the tournament in 2032 alone, but the lack of progress in getting new infrastructure saw Italy instead share the duties with Turkey, splitting the 10 venues between the two countries.

Even that might be beyond the Peninsula, as reiterated by UEFA director Uva to Tuttosport.

“Italy needs five stadiums up to code for EURO 2032, with projects that are already approved and financed. At the moment, only one is ready, the Stadium in Turin. The Stadio Olimpico in Rome needs a few changes, while the situation at San Siro is more complicated.

“A year has passed since the hosting rights were assigned and there has not been much progress. It’s not just about the five needed for the tournament, as Italy needs to invest in the smaller clubs too. For example, in Turkey they have built 13 new stadiums over the last few years, not just those that will host the Euros.”

New blow for Inter and Milan stadium plans

There was another huge blow today in the San Siro situation, as Milan and Inter formally rejected the proposal to reconstruct the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, noting it would be far too costly and difficult to work around.

So they are now back to either building their own stadiums outside the city or the plan they had in 2019, which was to construct a new venue in the car park and then knock down the Stadio Meazza.

“In England they knocked down Wembley, in Brazil they rebuild the Maracanà, these were temples of football,” continued Uva.

“I realise people are fond of the stadiums, but we mustn’t think they are eternal. San Siro is a beautiful monument, but the two Milan clubs ought to each have their own modern home ready to bring in fresh revenue.”

Uva, who is Italian and worked for many years in the FIGC, warns there is a resistance to progress in the Peninsula.

“When the second teams were introduced in Italy, there were protests because they feared it would squeeze out local clubs. Now they realise just how functional these can be, as they have been for years in Germany, Spain, France and in a different way in England.”