After the World Cup disaster… Are Italy’s European dreams crumbling?

Bosnia & Herzegovina v Italy - FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs

The hour is drawing near!

As the moon landings continue, the famous quote by aeronautical engineer Edward Murphy Jr. comes to mind: “If there is a possibility of a mistake, it will happen”, has become an apt description of the current state of Italian football. A third consecutive absence from the 2026 World Cup represents a severe blow to a system in need of comprehensive reforms, both at a technical level and in terms of infrastructure.

Italy, alongside Turkey, will host the 2032 European Championship, which presents a golden opportunity to launch infrastructure development projects that trace their roots back to the “magical nights” of the 1990 World Cup, according to the Spanish newspaper ‘AS’.

In contrast, however, the Turks have significantly improved their facilities, from Vodafone Park in Beşiktaş to Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Galatasaray, via Yeni Hatay Stadium in Antakya, and others. Meanwhile, the future of Italian stadiums remains unclear, as it appears that the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus’s home ground, is the only one capable of meeting current standards.

On another note, only Juventus owns its own stadium, alongside Udinese (Blu Energy Stadium), Atalanta (New Balance Arena) and Sassuolo (Mapei Stadium). As for Milan and Inter, both have announced plans to build a new San Siro stadium. Meanwhile, Roma have unveiled a stadium project in Pietralata, and Lazio in Flaminio. Cagliari are making some progress, but all these projects remain on paper and in the design phase, with none of them having started yet.

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The race against time and European warnings

Although the European Championship is still six years away, this is not enough time to complete all the bureaucratic procedures and build the new stadiums.

The president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Aleksander Čeferin, issued a blunt warning to Italy following its exit from the 2026 World Cup play-offs against Bosnia, saying: “You have one of the worst football infrastructures in Europe. I expect it to be ready, otherwise the tournament will not be held in Italy.”

The real danger is that Turkey could become the sole host nation, as Italy has only one stadium that meets UEFA standards, whilst five more are required.

By July, city councils must submit documentation to the Italian Football Federation – which will announce its new president on 22 June 2026 – proving that construction work is progressing. The Italian Football Federation will then begin discussions on the selected stadiums with UEFA in September/October, with construction work actually starting in March 2027.

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The struggle for power and funding

This represents a genuine race against time and a power struggle between the federation and the government. Success hinges on generating revenue that has yet to materialise, starting with the recognition of sports betting levies, estimated at around €200 million annually, which would enable the development of infrastructure, including training centres. Progress is also expected on tax matters through investment incentives and the creation of an investment fund to transform sports infrastructure into profitable assets, thereby enhancing football’s profitability and standing in Italy.

In a practical move, the Italian Minister for Sport, Andrea Abodi, announced via his social media accounts that the Court of Auditors has appointed a special commissioner to complete the final tasks required to host the 2032 European Championship. The commissioner, engineer Massimo Cisa, has been tasked with providing five stadiums that meet the requirements within the deadline set by the European Union and as proposed by the Italian Football Federation.