Euro football is one of the most popular sporting events in the world, attracting millions of viewers and football fans. And now, UEFA has announced that the next editions of Euro football in 2028 and 2032 will be organized in tandem.
For the 2028 edition, the United Kingdom and Ireland will have the honor of hosting the tournament. This decision confirms the trend of grouping applications together to reduce costs. Indeed, the joint organization makes it possible to share the expenses linked to the organization of the event and offers a return on investment similar to that of the World Cup, but at a much lower delivery cost.
Then, for the 2032 edition, Turkey and Italy will be responsible for hosting the national football teams. This joint candidacy, announced this summer, was also predictable given the desire of the two countries to come together to increase their chances of success.
These two hosting tandem announcements confirm the current trend in the organization of major sporting events. FIFA also opted for a joint organization for the 2030 World Cup, with the participation of Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The advantage of these joint agreements is that they allow investments and infrastructure to be distributed between several countries, thereby reducing costs. In addition, this allows a greater number of countries to be involved in the organization of these events, which reinforces the international character of the tournament.
However, joint organizing does not come without its challenges. Host countries must agree on many logistical aspects, such as the choice of host cities and stadiums, as well as matters of welcoming foreign fans. Additionally, some countries may face specific issues, such as racist incidents in Italy or travel restrictions in Turkey.
Despite these challenges, joint hosting appears to be the way forward for future major sporting events. This allows both to reduce costs and to involve a greater number of countries in the organization, thus strengthening the international dimension of these events. We can’t wait to see the unforgettable shows that the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey and Italy have in store for the next editions of Euro football.