Mission accomplished. The president of the Federation, Gabriele Gravina, is satisfied. Alongside him Marco Brunelli, Project Manager EURO 2032 Antonio Talarico, and the entire team that worked on the Italian dossier for the bid to host the 2032 European Championships: “We have worked for a long time to bring this great opportunity to Italy. It is an important event, our country hasn’t had the opportunity to organise such a huge football tournament since Italia 90 and this can only be good for the world of football”. Last July, Italy decided to submit their bid alongside Turkey, a union that has achieved the desired results, Gravina added: “The motivation behind this shared application is an important one. We share a passion for football and different cultures that transcends borders. Everyone must contribute to make it clear, collaboration in football must be used to break down barriers”.

Italy will have three years to decide on the 5 stadiums that will play host to the tournament, Gravina: “There are some executive projects that have already been financed such as those in Bologna, Florence, and Cagliari. There will be a set of criteria to meet that we will set soon and we hope that everyone will get involved. EURO 2032 is an opportunity for many to take advantage of, our country has to realise that it is time to realise new dreams. This decision can’t make changes in the stadiums themselves, but it can help stop the excuses that prevent the path to change”.

The Head of the Delegation, Gianluigi Buffon, was chosen by the FIGC as an Ambassador at the ceremony alongside journalist Ilaria D’Amico. He spoke on how the joint bid with Turkey was a winning choice: “In a moment of political difficulty, it is a good opportunity to open a dialogue with a nation that has great traditions different from our own. Understanding and collaborating can be a beautiful thing”.