Italy has formally submitted a bid to host the 2032 European Championship to European soccer's governing body UEFA, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on Wednesday. The FIGC added that the tournament will be staged across Milan, Turin, Verona, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari and Cagliari if the bid is accepted.

"We imagined Italy and European football in 10 years' time, in the knowledge that the positive legacy of such an event would multiply extraordinary opportunities for the entire nation," FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said. Italy had originally planned to bid to host either Euro 2028 or the 2030 World Cup, but the FIGC said that hosting the 2032 European Championship would provide a "wider time window" to modernise the country's stadium infrastructure.