UK ‘offering to host all of Euro 2020’ as chiefs hope vaccination progress means fans will be able to attend games
Sponsored by
THE Government are reportedly offering to host the entirety of Euro 2020 this summer.
The Times claim culture secretary Oliver Dowden has signalled to Uefa that vaccination progress means fans in Britain will be able to attend games before the rest of Europe.
And the report adds that ministers would welcome the chance to host more games, which are currently spread out across the continent, if asked.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock poured cold water on the idea when asked on Sunday morning.
Asked about the report on Sky News, Hancock replied: "I haven't seen anything on that, I understand that that's not right."
Uefa recently insisted there are no current plans to change the delayed tournament, due to be completed with the semi-finals and final at Wembley.
But German icon Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed last month that European football's governing body want to host the Euros in ONE country.
The former striker turned Bayern Munich chief executive said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin was backing the idea of scrapping the scheduled 12-nation event in favour of a single host.
Rummenigge said: “We must not forget that the idea of this special hosting of the tournament came about when the coronavirus did not yet exist.
“At that time it was an initiative of the EU Commission that wanted to have football shown all over Europe.
“But I know that the Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin - who is incredibly careful with corona - is thinking about whether it wouldn't make more sense in these times to play the tournament in just one country.
“That would be with a corresponding hygiene concept, of course.”
ONLINE CASINO OFFERS: CLAIM OVER £800 IN BONUS CASH
Most read in Football
The viability of a tournament held in 12 nations has been under increasing question as the pandemic continues to hold sway across Europe.
So far, all the planned hosts, including the Azerbaijan capital Baku, have signalled they want to continue as scheduled and Uefa is wary of the potential legal costs of scrapping contracts worth millions.
A final decision on the tournament is due to be made in March.