Wembley Could Host the Euro 2020 Final

September 24, 2012

Wembley has been put forward by the the Football Association as a potential venue for the Euro 2020 final should UEFA president Michel Platini’s plan to hold the tournament across several European countries go ahead.

Platini concocted a new plan to stage European Championship matches in 12 or 13 different countries, with the final stages all taking place in one venue. The idea will be discussed by UEFA’s executive board in December, with a decision set to be made early next year.

It is reported that FA chairman David Bernstein met with Platini last week and registered his association’s interest in Wembley holding the final.

“Clearly Wembley is incredibly highly thought of by UEFA and it is something we will probably push for,” said Bernstein. “UEFA want to hold the semi-finals and the final on the same ground, or in the same city and I think we would be on their shortlist – but there would be some strong competition.”

Turkey have currently placed a bid to hold the whole of Euro 2020 in its traditional format, however if they are successful in their bid to stage the 2020 Olympics then the Euro bid will give way, opening the door for Platini’s revolutionary idea.

“One of the major factors is whether Turkey get the Olympic Games or not. If Turkey do not get the Olympic Games then I think they are in a pretty good position to stage the Euros,” added Bernstein.

“If we believed there was a real opportunity of having the tournament here of course we would look at it. Of course there would be an intent, the public want it and we’d want it and it would be wonderful to have it here. If Michel Platini’s current views prevail and it becomes a pan-European competition, then the focus needs to be on the semi-finals and final.”

Regarding Platini’s plan former Wembley CEO, Michael Cunnah, said: “You can make anything work and I guess that if the Euros were held in cities across Western Europe they could be closer than some cities which were in Korea/ Japan or Ukraine/ Poland.”

But the iSportconnect chairman also reiterated: “It is always a real strain when competitions are held in different countries and therefore Platini could be multiplying this.”

“However if this is what he is doing then Wembley will be nailed on for the final because it is built for the role. It has such great facilities that it is a cash machine for UEFA – why do you think that the Champions League final (a match that ws meant to be shared around) keeps returning. Platini is no lover of the English but money talks.”

Wembley will hold the Champions League final for the second time in three years this season as part of the FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations.