UEFA Euro 2020 | the 16th UEFA European Football Championship

On 30 June 2012, then UEFA President Michel Platini floated the idea of staging the competition across Europe rather than in one or two countries. On 6 December 2012, UEFA decided that the 2020 finals would be staged across Europe. The DFB general secretary at the time, Helmut Sandrock, said in an interview that a Europe-wide European Championship, which would also be a once-in-a-lifetime affair, would be held to mark what would then be the 60th anniversary of the competition. The games were originally to be held in 13 cities in 13 European countries, with 12 cities earmarked for three group games each and a round of 16 or quarter-final encounter, with the two semi-finals and the final to be played in a 13th city. Following the allocation of venues, Brussels was subsequently dropped as a venue by UEFA in early December 2017, with the games to be played instead in London, which had already been selected to host the two semi-finals and the final. Thus, the final round was to be played in 12 cities instead of 13.

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, almost all leagues within UEFA were forced to suspend play in March 2020, including the four 'big' leagues - Bundesliga, Premier League, Primera División and Serie A. On 17 March 2020, the tournament, which was originally scheduled to take place from 12 June to 12 July 2020, was postponed by one year (11 June to 11 July 2021). The postponement opened the door for leagues to finish their seasons late. The 2019/20 Bundesliga season could even be completed by June 30, when expiring contracts of players and coaches end. It also allowed UEFA to finish the current Champions League and Europa League seasons with finals in August.

The UEFA EURO 2020 marketing name was retained by UEFA. The reasons given by UEFA were that it would allow the tournament to continue to be staged as a 60th anniversary celebration (1960-2020). In addition, the name would "forever serve as a reminder of the united response of the football family to the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID 19 pandemic and the difficult situation faced by Europe and the world in 2020." Furthermore, UEFA would produce less waste as material had already been produced with the appropriate branding, which would have had to be destroyed and re-manufactured if the name had been changed.

In mid-June 2020, UEFA initially confirmed the 12 original venues for the summer of 2021, and all tickets were to remain valid. Alternatively, there was the possibility of return and refund.

On 17 March 2021, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin announced that matches would be held only in those cities where spectators were allowed into the stadium despite the COVID 19 pandemic. On 23 April 2021, UEFA announced that Bilbao and Dublin would be cancelled as venues for this reason. The matches scheduled to take place in Bilbao were moved to Seville, while those scheduled to take place in Dublin were split between the venues that would remain in place, Saint Petersburg and London.

Application criteria

The application criteria were decided on 25 January 2013. Each of the 54 national associations at the time could submit a maximum of two bids: One for the three group matches and round of 16 or quarter-finals, and one for the semi-finals and final. An association could submit both bids with the same city or propose two different cities. The minimum stadium capacities were 70,000 for the semi-finals and final, 60,000 for each of three group matches and a quarter-final and 50,000 for each of three group matches and a round of 16 match. Up to two exemptions have been granted for stadiums with a net minimum capacity of 30,000 for group matches/last 16 matches. Planned new stadium construction is permitted in the bidding process, but construction must have started no later than 2016. Otherwise, the matches could be subsequently awarded to another city.

Candidate cities

The application process began in April 2013. In September 2013, the candidates' applications were formally confirmed. The bidding documents were due to be submitted by April 2014, so that the host cities could finally be determined by the UEFA Executive Committee in September 2014.

A total of 32 member associations had expressed interest in hosting by the first deadline on 12 September 2013. Of these, 19 associations submitted a bid by 25 April 2014. On 19 September 2014, UEFA named the 12 host cities (shown in bold). In December 2017, Brussels was subsequently dropped as a venue and the Games were awarded to London. Wembley Stadium will therefore host three group matches and a round of 16 match in addition to the two semi-finals and the final.

Application for both semifinals and the final:

• England London (Wembley Stadium) - 90,000 seats
• Germany Munich (Football Arena Munich) - 70,000 seats

Application for three group matches and one round of 16 or quarter-final match:

• Netherlands Amsterdam (Johan Cruyff Arena) - 54,990 seats
• Azerbaijan Baku (National Stadium Baku, new building) - 69,870 seats
• Spain Bilbao (San Mamés) - 50,000 seats
• Belgium Grimbergen/Brussels (Eurostadion, new building) - approx. 60,000 seats1
• Hungary Budapest (Puskás Aréna, new building) - 67,155 seats
• Romania Bucharest (Arena Națională) - 55,600 seats
• Wales Cardiff (Millennium Stadium) - 74,500 seats
• Ireland Dublin (Dublin Arena) - 51,700 seats
• Scotland Glasgow (Hampden Park) - 52,500 seats
• Israel Jerusalem (Teddy Stadium) - 50,000 seats
• Denmark Copenhagen (parking) - 38,076 spaces
• England London (Wembley Stadium) - 90,000 seats1
• Belarus Minsk (Traktar Stadium, renovation) - 30,000 seats
• Germany Munich (Football Arena Munich) - 70,000 seats
• Italy Rome (Olympic Stadium Rome) - 72,698 seats
• Russia Saint Petersburg (Krestovsky Stadium) - 69,501 seats
• North Macedonia Skopje (Toše-Proeski Arena) - 36,400 seats
• Bulgaria Sofia (Vasil Levski National Stadium) - 46,340 seats
• Sweden Solna (Friends Arena) - 50,000 seats

Application withdrawn:

• Greece Athens (Olympic Stadium Athens) - 69,618 seats
• Kazakhstan Astana (Astana Arena) - 30,000 seats
• Switzerland Basel (St. Jakob Park) - 38,512 seats
• Serbia Belgrade (Rajko Mitić Stadium) - 55,538 seats or (New National Stadium) New construction - 60,000 seats.
• France Décines-Charpieu/Lyon (Parc Olympique Lyonnais) - 61,556 seats
• Ukraine Donetsk (Donbass Arena) - 51,504 seats
• Finland Helsinki (Helsinki Olympic Stadium) - 40,682 seats
• Turkey Istanbul (Atatürk Olympic Stadium) - 76,092 seats
• Armenia Yerevan (Hrasdan Stadium) - 54,208 seats
• Poland Poland (Warsaw - 58,145 seats or Chorzów - 55,211 seats)
• Portugal Portugal (Lisbon - 64,813 seats or Porto - 50,948 seats)
• Czech Republic Prague (New National Stadium)
• Croatia Zagreb (Stadium Maksimir) - 35,123 seats

Germany

On 30 August 2013, the DFB Executive Committee announced that Munich would bid to host the European Championship for Germany. Berlin's bid was rejected. On 3 September 2014, the DFB announced that it would forego Munich's bid to host the finals and semi-finals in favour of London if, in return, the English Football Association supported Germany's bid to host the 2024 European Championship. The DFB subsequently intends to support the English in their bid to host the 2028 European Championship.

Switzerland

On 5 September 2013, it was announced that Basel would apply to host the European Championship in Switzerland. Basel was the only city in Switzerland that had expressed interest in hosting the event. In 2008, St. Jakob-Park had already hosted some matches of the then European Football Championship.

Original applicants

Azerbaijan and Georgia

Azerbaijan and Georgia had originally considered a joint bid, but by the deadline only Georgia had submitted its application. After Azerbaijan's capital Baku failed in the bidding for the 2020 Olympics, the country rejoined the Georgian bid.

Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Ireland, Scotland and Wales made a joint bid to host the competition. A joint bid by Ireland and Scotland for the 2008 European Championship had previously failed.

Turkey

On 17 April 2012, the Turkish association announced its bid for the European Championship. Turkey had previously failed with its bids for 2008 (together with Greece), 2012 and 2016. As Turkey was seen as a strong favourite to host the event alone in 2020, UEFA President Platini promised Istanbul that it would be allowed to host the finals even after the Olympic Games had not been awarded. On 25 April 2014, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced that it was withdrawing its bid for the 2020 European Championship in favour of a new bid for the 2024 European Championship, in which it lost out to Germany by 4:12 votes.