Aleksander Ceferin has warned that Italy could lose its right to co-host UEFA Euro 2032 alongside Turkey if urgent improvements are not made to the country’s football infrastructure.
Speaking in an interview published on 2 April by Gazzetta dello Sport, the UEFA president expressed serious concerns over the condition of Italian stadiums, describing them as “among the worst in Europe”.
“Euro 2032 is scheduled and will take place, of that there is no doubt,” Ceferin said. “I just hope the infrastructure in Italy will be ready. If that is not the case, the tournament will not be held in Italy.”
Ceferin pointed to long-standing issues between football authorities and political institutions as a key obstacle to progress.
“Perhaps Italy’s politicians should ask themselves why the football infrastructure is among the worst in Europe,” he added, highlighting what he sees as a disconnect slowing development.
Italy must confirm five host stadiums by October, with 11 cities currently in contention, including Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin. Venues can either be newly built or redeveloped, but construction work must begin by March 2027 to meet UEFA requirements.
At present, only the Allianz Stadium in Turin—home of Juventus—is fully compliant to host matches without further upgrades.
In Milan, both Inter Milan and AC Milan are planning a new 71,500-capacity stadium to replace the iconic San Siro by 2031. However, the project faces scrutiny from prosecutors over alleged irregularities in the land sale process.
Elsewhere, AS Roma have received approval to build a new stadium in the Italian capital, while Stadio Artemio Franchi—home of Fiorentina—is undergoing redevelopment.
In Naples, authorities have unveiled a €200 million renovation plan for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, including the removal of the athletics track surrounding the pitch. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi insisted the upgrade is necessary regardless of Euro 2032 hosting duties.
With just a handful of projects underway and deadlines approaching, Italy faces mounting pressure to modernise its ageing stadium network. Failure to meet UEFA standards could see the country stripped of its hosting role, leaving Turkey to potentially take on a greater share—or the entirety—of the tournament.
