England "will at last stage another major football tournament after Wembley was awarded the final and semi-finals of Euro 2020 in Geneva on Friday," according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL.
Munich "withdrew from the final stages bid at the last moment making the choice of London and Wembley by UEFA's executive committee unanimous." FA Chair Greg Dyke: "We’re delighted it’s nice to win one" (DAILY MAIL, 9/19). In London, Owen Gibson reported the German Football Federation (DFB), "the only rival bid," said that it was "more interested in hosting Euro 2024 in its entirety and in effect withdrew."
Dyke said that "there was no binding deal with the Germans" but confirmed "it would likely back them for Euro 2024."
Glasgow’s Hampden Park and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium "will also host three group stage games and one last-16 match each, but Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium narrowly missed out to the disappointment of the Welsh FA" (GUARDIAN, 9/19). The BBC reported England Manager Roy Hodgson said that "the opportunity to play a final at Wembley would be excellent motivation for his players." Hodgson:
"For the young team that is emerging, many of those players will be at their best football years in 2020. If the young players of today don't use this to spur them on then they are making a mistake." The quarterfinals and three group matches will be held in Munich (Germany), Baku (Azerbaijan), Rome (Italy) and St. Petersburg (Russia).
The other host cities that will hold three group games and a last 16 game are Copenhagen (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Bilbao (Spain), Budapest (Hungary) and Brussels (Belgium).
Scottish FA CEO Stewart Regan said that the backing of former ManU Manager Alex Ferguson and the long history of football in Scotland "had been key to their bid" (BBC, 9/19). In Dublin, Staines & Knox wrote Dublin "is set for a financial boost" of up to €100M ($128M) after UEFA confirmed the Aviva Stadium will host four Euro 2020 football fixtures. FA of Ireland CEO John Delaney said that "it will be a 'tremendous honour' to host the matches in a year that coincides with the FAI's 100-year anniversary." Delaney: "It's an historic day." RTE pundit Eamon Dunphy said that the successful bid "is a 'vindication' of the FAI’s decision to 'extend themselves financially' to ensure the redevelopment of the Aviva Stadium" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 9/20).
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Source: BBC Sport |