UEFA Euro 2028 Host Selection: Turkey and Italy Emerge as Front-Runners

UEFA begins its formal evaluation process for Euro 2028 hosting rights as Turkey and Italy present compelling bids.

Euro 2028: Turkey and Italy Compete to Host Football's Biggest European Celebration

UEFA formally launched the evaluation process for hosting rights to the 2028 UEFA European Championship in early 2026, with Turkey and Italy emerging as the leading candidates following the submission of preliminary bid documents by interested national associations. The decision, expected to be made by the UEFA Congress in 2027, will determine the location of European football's showpiece tournament for a competition that will build on the success of the expanded 24-team format introduced in 2016 and maintained through subsequent editions.

Turkey has submitted a bid that leverages the country's significant recent investment in football infrastructure, including several modern stadiums built for the country's ultimately unsuccessful 2024 Champions League final and 2020 Euro bids. Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium, renovated to host Champions League finals, serves as the centrepiece of the Turkish proposal, which promises a combination of modern facilities, unique cultural experiences, and enthusiastic fan culture. Turkey's football federation has also emphasised the country's position as a bridge between Europe and Asia, arguing that hosting a major European tournament in Istanbul would reinforce Turkey's European identity and connections.

Italy's bid builds on the successful 2026 Winter Olympics and the country's deep football tradition. The Italian football federation has proposed a distributed hosting model using stadiums in Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, and Florence — each with its own distinct character and history — and has committed to significant infrastructure upgrades that would benefit Italian club football beyond the tournament itself. The Azzurri's passionate fan culture and Italy's world-renowned hospitality sector are central to the Italian pitch to UEFA delegates.