Euro 2020 could be staged in '12 or 13 countries' says Michael Platini

[21st Century Fox]

The Uefa president Michel Platini has revealed the concept of one or two countries staging major tournaments may be abandoned for Euro 2020.

Turkey had been favourites to host the event but their bid has hit difficulties due to a desire to host the Olympic Games in Istanbul in the same year.

And Platini has confirmed a radical alternative is now being considered.

"The Euros in 2020 could be held all over Europe," said Platini. "It could be either one country and 12 stadiums or one stadium in 12 or 13 cities."

Platini confirmed a final decision would be taken in January or February next year.

"This matter will be discussed very seriously," he added.

Platini gave further details on his ideas around the 2020 tournament.

He said: "We are not going to wait until we know whether Turkey are going to get the Olympics. It creates a problem for us. We do have other candidates. Everyone has the possibility to host it. It is easier to go from London to Paris or Berlin than Cardiff to Gdansk. It would be four games per venue. It is a great debate."

Platini continued: "We are just thinking about it. I have said 12 or 13 host cities, it could be 24 or 32. We are not at that stage yet. It is the political decision that needs to be made. We wouldn't have to build stadiums or airports. That could be important in an economic crisis."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/30/euro-2020-12-13-countries-michel-platini

[thewarmanator]

After going to Ukraine, spending loads of money on internal flights/trains and having no sleep while waiting for a plane/train at 6am this is a complete piss take. For any fan wanting to follow their team it will cost a fortune and will be too expensive.

However, it probably would mean they sold out most matches this time.

[purpleronnie]

So would all those host countries not have to qualify?

[Fox92]

... Before adding "We still won't allow England to hold major finals, regardless"

[Jaspa]

Why not just have the World Cup, all around the world then ?

A country for every match !

[Finnegan]

... what?

[Jordan]

Just in time to scupper the Wales/Scotland/Ireland plan. Perhaps it's not just the English Platini hates.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Football is ruled by imberciles.

Michel, you were a great footballer, but I suspect you are France's equivilant of Wayne Rooney in the grey matter department.

[Webbo]

I think at one time the European Championships were similar to the the old European cup format with home and away KO matches, leading to a final, Maybe this is the sort of thing he means.

[Guest Bilo]

Platini is the biggest idiot in world football, no mean feat with Sepp Blatter as competition.

While UEFA and FIFA are ruled by mindless suits with zero affinity with the fans, football will become further detached from us proles.

[AlphaMaleFox]

... Before adding "We still won't allow England to hold major finals, regardless"

UEFA hates Engerland, innit?

[purpleronnie]

Some fans really do have a chip on their shoulder don't they.

[Craig]

UEFA hates Engerland, innit?

Funny looking Wembley.

[Fox92]

UEFA hates Engerland, innit?

Yes they do and everyone knows it. Two votes in the last World Cup voting (or how many it was) and Qatar were selected over us, just one example. The 2011 European Cup final was held at Wembley, that's all so far.

As for your link, that isn't Wembley.

[purpleronnie]

Yes they do and everyone knows it. Two votes in the last World Cup voting (or how many it was) and Qatar were selected over us, just one example. The 2011 European Cup final was held at Wembley, that's all so far.

As for your link, that isn't Wembley.

They were selected over other countries too.

[AlphaMaleFox]

Yes they do and everyone knows it. Two votes in the last World Cup voting (or how many it was) and Russia were selected over us, just one example.

Qatar was selected over Australia.

As for your link, that isn't Wembley.

This is official UEFA info

ENGLISH link for you

It will be Wembley's seventh European Cup final, after 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1992 and 2011. It will also be the first time one stadium has staged the showpiece tie twice in three seasons.

[Corky]

Yes, let's change something that makes the tournament successful. Different sets of fans from all over Europe converging in a smaller area, bringing different cultures, outlooks and styles mixing in with local practices.

People enjoy freely being with people of other nationalities for a few weeks, and it boosts the local economy for the host nation/s.

[ACF]

Overreaction to Poland vs Russia?

[Fox92]

This is official UEFA info

ENGLISH link for you

I believe you now

[Captain...]

To be honest they are already fvcking up the tournament by bringing in more teams, I really enjoyed going to Poland for some of the Euros, but it is probably quite costly to host these things and with the amount of travelling the English team did they could very well have just stayed in England and flown out for the games, I think read somewhere the flight for one of the games was the equivalent of flying from London to Berlin.

[21st Century Fox]

I did read one explanation that he's using this as a ploy to sound out serious bidders to singularly host 2020. Although this is Bright Idea Platini so you wouldn't put any ludicrous brainwave past him.

If it happens that's 12 or 13 cities that will need to round up and ship out their homeless....

Donetsk's mayor Oleksandr Lukianchenko: "I'm delighted. Donetsk proved itself a hospitable city, dispelling the myths of British media." • Also last week: Donetsk's homeless population tell local press how they spent the tournament: "We were told we disgraced the city and foreigners must not see us. They caught us, threw us in vans and released us in Melitopol. Anyone who opposed it was beaten in the kidneys." (Lukianchenko: "The homeless always move south in summer. That is a natural process.")

[Guest MattP]

It's not an unusual thing to shift the homeless out for big events, they did it in big events for Beijing, South Africa and Brazil. No idea how they get away with it.