A "host of cities" from Oslo, Norway to Baku, Azerbaijan registered an "interest in staging matches" at Euro 2020 ahead of Thursday's UEFA deadline, according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. European football’s ruling body is "expected to confirm the candidate cities" at an exec committee meeting in Dubrovnik, Croatia on Friday before "choosing the host venues in a year’s time." Twelve cities will be awarded a "package of three group games plus one knockout-stage game" from the round-of-16 or quarterfinals. Belgrade, Serbia; Budapest, Sofia, Prague, Munich, Basel, Switzerland; Athens, Stockholm, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg have said they "intend to put their names forward to be part of UEFA’s ambitious new-look tournament that will be spread across the region for the first time." An Italian federation spokesperson said that Italy will bid to host "group stage matches plus a knockout tie but have yet to decide between Rome and Milan." The Turkish Football Federation put forward a bid to host the semifinals and final in Istanbul (REUTERS, 9/13).
