Euro 2020

[Sergio]

Obviously a very long way off still, but UEFA have appointed an unusual choice of host - all of Europe:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/06/euro-2020-across-europe-uefa

I think this is a potentially great idea, seems to have alot of advantages, mainly no need for any new stadia or infrastructure to be built in these austere times. And it opens up the tournament to small nations that couldn't conceivably host the tournament on their own. Already there seems to be much speculation as to which city will get to host the finals, with London the early favorite as Wembley is the best choice for the final itself, with the Olympic stadium and Emirates as the semi's. I'd go with that choice also, I can think of only Glasgow or possibly Barcelona which has 3 stadiums of sufficient standard to contest it.

 

[Ketoth]

Fans would have to pay huge expenses on long distance travelling if that is to be the case.

 

[Sergio]

Not really, the group and final stages will be organised in zones like all the previous tournaments.

 

[PearLBLacK]

At last, Platini with a logical and reasonable idea...

 

[barcanuck]

Horrible idea. I have heard of tournments being co hosted, but a dozen countries hosting games is ludicrous. Just co host every single Euro since it's 24 teams.

 

[SeloBarca]

awful decission, EC should be a festival. Now it just turns into single events devided in differant locations and the feeling of beeing part of the event just beeing in the country dies.
In a Championship people from all over the world gathers and thats what creates the festival.

Now it will only turn into businessmen and children familys wanting to see some football going to the games instead of real fans. People will be quiet on the stands and get angry if people are to loud. A big part of the people on the stands wont be supporters of the national teams but rather people like above.

It wont become a real EC where peopel starts camping weeks/months before the festival and stays several games. Now they jsut take the flight, goes to the game, and goes back home again.

 

[Sultan]

never quite understood why countries are so interested in hosting these events. specially developing countries. how many really make any profits in the end? Brazil is spending what, about 13 Billion? Or is it just a way to 'show' that yes, we are wealthy enough and developed enough to do this.

 

[Barcaman]

Said previously that the idea looks good on paper but I don't quite believe Platini's motives anymore.

 

[La Furia]

Anyway I have mixed feelings about this proposal - on one hand, it's not like other tournaments haven't taken place across places larger or at least not much smaller than Europe - the World Cup in the US, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and soon Russia for instance, though typically these kind of tournaments stick to a few cities.

But between this and the addition of more teams I can't help but feel UEFA is trying to turn the Euros into the CL: National Edition.

 

[AnfieldEd]

I like the idea. So long as the smaller countries are allowed to host games also.

There are 16 stadiums in europe in which it could work:- Wembley, Hampden Park, Stade De France, Olympic Stadium (Berlin), Ataturk Stadium, Olympic Stadium (Athens), San Siro, Bernabeu, Nou Camp, Luzhniki Stadium, Amsterdam Arena, Estadio da Luz, Warsaw National Stadium, Friends Arena, Millennium Stadium and Olympic Stadium (Kiev).

So you get games located in each part of europe - north, south, west and east.

 

[FCBarca]

Ambiance/atmosphere, for me, gets lost spread out too far though...It'll dilute the tourney, IMO

 

[Cristofol]

I think this has the potential to be a good idea, providing it doesn't just go to all the obvious cities London/Milan/Madrid/Moscow ect Not having one particular hosting nation will prevent non footballing nations with a lot of money getting the tournament over nations that will actually be able to fill out the stadiums *cough* FIFA-WC-Qatar *cough* Though there are lots of ways a giant tit like Platini can turn this to his own advantage that only UEFA will benefit from...I shall remain on the fence about the idea till I see any more developments

 

[JackaL]

Guys why were the posts in this thread deleted, I felt that the discussion was pretty well reasoned and ongoing?

 

[Barcaman]

Ambiance/atmosphere, for me, gets lost spread out too far though...It'll dilute the tourney, IMO

True. It might look like a Champions league, only congested in a month.

 

[Edman]

Ambiance/atmosphere, for me, gets lost spread out too far though...It'll dilute the tourney, IMO

True, but it's nice for the smaller countries to host some games without having to spend crazy cash to build infrastructures (especially in this economical climate).