FRANKFURT: Germany plans to be one of the hosts for a pan-European Euro 2020 and is ready to back Turkey as host of the semi-finals and final itself, German Football Federation chairman Wolfgang Niersbach said yesterday.
“It’s still open who will be a candidate,” said Niersbach, who said the DFB would discuss its plans in a March 15 meeting.
But in the meantime he revealed that he agreed with other observers who believe Turkey is favourite to stage the semis and the trophy match if Istanbul fails in its bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games, with that decision set to fall on September 8.
“If the Turks go for the final rounds then we will not go up against them. They have our word on that,” Niersbach said.
Bayern Munich’s 72,000-capacity Allianz Arena last week was officially unveiled as a candidate to stage Euro 2020 action with organisers UEFA having offered would-be venues the choice of staging three group matches and then a last 16 encounter or a quarter-final, or else the two semis and the final.
Turkey had been hoping to be the sole host nation for Euro 2020 until UEFA president Michel Platini revealed his plan for a Europe-wide competition.
The championship will involve 24 nations. AFP
