Bidding for Euro 2020 to open next week

By Andrew Warshaw in Istanbul

March 21 – UEFA announced here after a two-day Executive Committee meeting that the bidding process for the 2020 European Championships will begin next week when invitations are sent out to all 53 member nations who will then have until mid-May to declare their interest.

With the tournament switching to 24 finalists in 2016, when France is the venue, only a handful of single candidates could realistically lay claim to hosting, with joint bids therefore likely to be considered despite the infrastructural problems that have plagued this year’s event in Poland and Ukraine.

“UEFA has a history of joint bids…so this is certainly possible,” UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said.

“We have to bear in mind there will be 24 teams which means at least nine stadia.”

Voting on 2020 candidates will take place in late 2013 or early 2014.

Whether Turkey, who missed out by one vote for 2016, will again ballot may well depend on how quickly they can clear up the match fixing scandal that has undermined the country’s credentials or also whether the Government want to concentrate instead on Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

“Turkey had and has, unfortunately, some issues,” Infantino said.

“It is now up to the Turkish FA bodies to take the appropriate decisions.

“It is their responsibility.

“They know what they have to do.

“We will look into this matter if they don’t take any decisions.”

A request by Gibraltar for membership of UEFA, always rejected in the past, at last moved a step forward with UEFA requesting a series of details from the British-governed principality’s footballing authorities before a final decision next year though it seems highly likely neighbours Spain will step in and railroad the application.

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