UEFA President Ceferin's EURO 2032 Warning to Italy

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin made remarkable statements about the institutional crisis and allegations of political intervention in Italian football.

Reacting to the possibility of appointing trustees to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Ceferin emphasized that the independence of sports institutions should be protected. The UEFA President gave the message that political intervention could also affect the hosting of EURO 2032, which will be jointly organized by Italy and Türkiye.

"FOOTBALL IS NOT FOR SALE"

Stating that FIFA and UEFA are uncompromising regarding the autonomy of football federations, Ceferin said that the trust in sports is based on the principles of unity, transparency and merit.

Ceferin said, "Projects that disrupt the unity of world football may have been taken off the shelf, but the shaken trust has not yet returned. I repeat this once again: Football is not for sale."

ATTENTION WARNING TO ITALY FOR EURO 2032

Asked whether the scenario of transferring sports management in Italy to trustees would affect EURO 2032, Ceferin stated that political intervention could shake the trust of UEFA and other partners.

Ceferin said, "Any form of political intervention could undermine the trust of UEFA and other partners. This situation is neither in the interest of Italian football nor the tournament. As the host, Italy has a special responsibility. That is why it is extremely critical to preserve the independence of sports institutions."

DRAW ATTENTION TO STADIUMS

Stating that the stadium infrastructure in Italy lags behind the country's football prestige, Ceferin criticized the fact that clubs do not have their own stadiums and bureaucratic obstacles.

Giving examples of Juventus, Atalanta and Udinese, Ceferin drew attention to the importance of modern facilities owned by the club.

"This is not just a matter of money, but above all a matter of model. While most of the stadiums in Italy are owned by municipalities, the clubs are merely tenants and therefore have no real incentive to invest in a facility that does not belong to them," Ceferin said.

SUPPORT TO GRAVINA

Ceferin, who also supported FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, whose resignation is on the agenda, said that the Italian football manager has achieved important successes such as the European championship at Wembley, infrastructure moves and hosting EURO 2032 with Turkey.