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New UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin believes London is "the perfect choice to stage the climax to Euro 2020 after 12 other cities across the continent host earlier matches," according to Steve Tongue of REUTERS. Under the "controversial format" being used for the tournament's 60th anniversary, those cities will stage four games each with the semifinals and final at Wembley in the English capital. Before being elected last week, Ceferin had said that the plan "was a risk and would be difficult for traveling fans." In his first official engagement since the election, at the launch of the London logo in a ceremony that will be replicated in the other host cities, the Slovenian lawyer "suggested the format would be for one tournament only." Ceferin said, "Twenty-four years after Euro 96, football will once again return to its mythical cradle." The 12 group venues are Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, Munich, Rome and St. Petersburg. Ceferin: "Eight of the 13 host cities will be celebrating something they have never done before and might never have dreamed of doing" (
REUTERS, 9/21). FA Chair Greg Clarke said, "We recognize the significance of UEFA's choice and pledge to do all we can to live up to the rich history and tradition of this wonderful competition in its 60th year" (
FA).
LONDON LOGO: At the heart of the Euro Championship's new visual identity is the bridge -- a simple, universal symbol of connection. Each of the accompanying 13 unique host logos will feature a single bridge from the city in question. London's logo will incorporate the Tower Bridge, while the remaining 12 logos will be revealed one by one at individual launches (UEFA).
