Russia’s Football Union president Alexander Dyukov has claimed the nation is ready to host Euro 2032 if Italy cannot meet UEFA’s requirements, despite the country’s ongoing ban from international football.
According to Mirror, Russian Football Union President Alexander Dyukov has declared that Russia is “always ready” to host Euro 2032 should Italy fail to fulfil its hosting duties. Despite being banned by FIFA and UEFA since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Dyukov told Sport24, “Russia is always ready,” after Russia’s friendly with Bolivia.
Italy is currently set to co-host the tournament with Turkey, but concerns remain over the readiness of stadiums and infrastructure. Italian football official Ezio Simonelli admitted, “I’m really worried about Euro 2032… when the president of UEFA says that our stadiums are in a comatose state… we risk not making a very good impression on an international level.”
Simonelli added that Italy is lagging behind other European nations, having built only six new stadiums in 18 years.
Russian outlet Izvestia clarified that no new bid has been made, though Russia’s 2022 application remains on record. Despite its ban, Russia has continued to play friendlies against nations like Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and previously considered joining the Asian Football Confederation.