They're calling it a “feast of football” and a “celebration of culture”. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UEFA European Championships, the governing body of European Football has planned to conduct the EURO 2020 across 13 cities, spread over 13 different nations.
"Instead of having a party in one country, we will have a party all over Europe in the summer of 2020."
"An opportunity like this, to give many cities and many countries the possibility to host even just one part of a EURO, is certainly an excellent thing, especially in times when you have an economic situation where you cannot expect countries to invest in facilities in the way such an event requires." – - former UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino
While the obvious question of logistics hangs in the air, UEFA have also said that they will ensure the comfort of fans by factoring in travel distances when assigning hosting teams to tournament groups – and wherever possible, they've promised that flights will not exceed two hours' duration between host cities.
“Eight of the 13 host cities will be celebrating something they have never done before and might never have dreamed of doing,” - New UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin added.
Just as in Euro '16, 24 teams will participate. The format too will remain the same with the top two in each of the six groups will proceed to the round of 16 along with the four best third-placed finishers.
Here's the full list of stadiums hosting the tournament -
- Allianz Arena, Munich (Germany) – three group matches and a quarter-final
- National Stadium, Baku (Azerbaijan) – three group matches and a quarter-final
- Stadio Olimpico, Rome (Italy) – three group matches and a quarter-final
- Krestovsky, St Petersburg (Russia) – three group matches and a quarter-final
- Eurostadium, Brussels (Belgium) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Parken Stadium, Copenhagen (Denmark) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Groupama, Budapest (Hungary) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam (Netherlands) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Aviva Stadium, Dublin (Republic of Ireland) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- National Arena, Bucharest (Romania) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Hampden Park, Glasgow (Scotland) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- San Mames, Bilbao (Spain) – three group matches and a round of 16 match
- Wembley, London (England); and it will host the semi-finals and the final.
