After Rejecting 2024 Olympics Bid, Rome Accepts Hosting UEFA Euro 2020

Just one day after rejecting Rome’s bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Mayor Virginia Raggi stated the city is “honored” to host games for the 2020 UEFA European Championship.

Rome Accepts Hosting UEFA Euro 2020

The Italian capital’s Stadio Olimpico is set to host three group matches and a quarterfinal for the soccer tournament, which will be spread across Europe for the very first time with 13 cities slated to host matches.

“We’re honored that Rome will host such an important sports event,” Raggi said. “We want sports available to everyone.”

Prior to stating her opposition to Rome’s Olympic bid on Wednesday, Raggi didn’t attend a scheduled meeting with Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago. However, the two met at Thursday’s Euro 2020 presentation, during which Malago kissed the mayor’s hand when they crossed paths.

“I always do that with people I don’t know that well,” Malago explained.

The other Euro 2020 host cities are London; Munich, Germany; St. Petersburg, Russia; Dublin; Glasgow; Copenhagen, Denmark; Bucharest, Romania; Amsterdam; Bilbao, Spain; Budapest, Hungary; and Brussels.

These cities were all chosen before Raggi took office in June.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin was also in attendance at the presentation, relishing what he called Rome’s “beauty and rich history”, and promising that the tournament will be an “unforgettable experience.”

“We are really glad to be in a country where football is so important,” said Mr Čeferin. “In 60 years, the EURO has become one of the major sporting events in the world, and this tournament will give us the perfect opportunity to bring football to the four corners of the continent.”

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio also voiced his pride: “We are facing an important challenge now – the involvement of 13 different cities,” he said. “It’s a fascinating challenge, rewarding both our football tradition and our ability to organize events.”

Italy hosted this year’s UEFA Champions League final in Milan, as well as the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Reggio Emilia.

This year’s Euro 2016 tournament, which Portugal won in July, was held in France.

“Football is joy, passion and beauty,” Mr Tavecchio continued, “and the logo underlines the power of football to unify and share experiences. We will do extraordinary things as a team together with the other cities.”

ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 22: Roma Mayor Virginia Raggi attends the UEFA Euro Roma 2020 Official Logo unveiling at Palazzo delle Armi on September 22, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena