Rabat – Russia has expressed interest in hosting the UEFA Euro 2032 tournament, even though it remains banned from international football.
The country was excluded from all UEFA and FIFA competitions in February 2022 following its military invasion of Ukraine. This ban includes national teams and club sides, and it remains in place as of late 2025.
Despite the sanctions, Russian Football Union president Alexander Dyukov recently stated that Russia is ready to host Euro 2032 if Italy fails to meet UEFA’s stadium requirements.
Italy and Turkey were officially awarded co-hosting rights in October 2023, but Italy faces serious infrastructure challenges.
UEFA requires each host to submit five approved stadiums by July 31, 2026. So far, only two Italian venues — Turin’s Allianz Stadium and Rome’s Stadio Olimpico — fully meet the standards.
Other proposed stadiums include Milan’s San Siro, Florence’s Artemio Franchi, and Genoa’s Luigi Ferraris. However, many of these venues are outdated or under renovation.
In August 2025, reports revealed that only one of Italy’s ten proposed stadiums was UEFA-compliant. Naples’ Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and the current San Siro failed inspections due to structural issues.
To address this, AC Milan and Inter Milan have jointly purchased the San Siro site for €197 million. They plan to demolish most of the existing structure and build a new stadium costing €1.2 billion. Construction is expected to run from 2026 to 2035, with hopes of completion before the Euro 2032.
Rome is also planning a new stadium in the Pietralata district for AS Roma. While the project is moving forward, it still needs government approvals and funding. If successful, it could be ready by 2029 or 2030.
Russia’s bid remains controversial due to its ongoing ban and political tensions. UEFA has not responded publicly to Dyukov’s comments, and Italy continues to work toward meeting its hosting obligations.
