Russia will opt to host the 2028 and 2032 European Championships in a surprising move, taking into account the suspension of its clubs and national teams due to the war in Ukraine. This was made official by UEFA. The joint candidacy of England and Ireland was almost considered the winner of the 2028 process in the absence of opponents, but at the decisive moment a turn of events left its future still up in the air. The other two candidates to appear were Turkey and Russia.
The Russians, who are suspended from any club and national team competition by UEFA and FIFA, notified by surprise that they are eligible for the 2028 and 2032 European Championships. At a meeting of the executive committee of the Russian Football Union it was decided to “support the candidacy” for both tournaments, the federation said in a statement.
How did UEFA react?
“We have submitted an application for the organization of the European Championships in 2028 and 2032,” Sergei Anokhin, a member of the RFU board of directors, told Match TV broadcaster. As AS has learned, at the time when the FIFA Council Bureau and the UEFA Executive Committee decided on February 28 to suspend all Russian teamsboth national representatives and club teams, no suspension was imposed on the Russian Football Union.
However, according to the body, “the UEFA Executive Committee will remain waiting to convene new extraordinary meetings, on a regular and continuous basis when necessary, -in addition to its meetings already scheduled for April 7 and May 10- to reassess the legal situation. It will take further decisions as necessary, including on the declaration of interest expressed by the Russian Football Union to host the European Championship.”
When are the venues decided?
That was not the only surprise. A few hours after the limit was met, Turkey also announced that it wants the European Championships in 2028 and 2032. The great favorite to win the latter is Italy. It must be remembered that the Turks already lost the organization of the 2024 edition in favor of Germany at the last moment and that lately the Champions League final was also snatched from them -in this case due to COVID-. Even so, they do not lose faith and trust that they will finally be awarded a great championship.
On April 5 of this year the candidates that UEFA officially accepts in the race will be announced, April 12, 2023 is the deadline to present the candidacy dossier and in September 2023 the names of the two will be announced definitively. countries that will host in 2028 and 2032.