Gravina: ‘Italy risk losing EURO 2032 opportunity for new stadiums’ | OneFootball

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina warns Italy risks ‘losing this unrepeatable opportunity’ of using EURO 2032 to finally get new stadiums built. ‘We got only six stadiums done in 15 years.’

The Peninsula has been given the co-hosting rights for the 2032 European Championship with Turkey, meaning they need to provide five arenas rather than 10.

However, even that is proving difficult to achieve, as the notorious red tape is preventing the clubs from building new stadiums, or even reconstructing the older ones.

Stadiums remain a huge problem in Italy

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Players of Italy during the warms up during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

“Italy is lagging behind,” warned Gravina in Fortune Italia magazine.

“We only got six stadiums built or renovated in the last 15 years, compared to 12 in France, and 33 in Turkey.”

It is hoped that EURO 2032 can give Italy a deadline and funding to push through this impasse, seeing as the last real flurry of activity for new stadiums was when hosting the 1990 World Cup.

“EURO 2032 is an unrepeatable opportunity for stadiums, but we risk losing it. We need modern arenas and the support of the Government. Private enterprise is ready to invest, but the procedure has to be simplified.

“Without a commissioner that can accelerate the whole thing, we risk wasting this huge chance.”

MILAN, – MAY 06: General view inside the San Siro stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Another deadline is looming fast around San Siro, where Milan and Inter are hoping to buy the land, build a new arena, and then demolish the current Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

However, the local council has still not given its approval, with many aiming to reconstruct the existing stadium, which will be difficult with two teams playing there often twice a week.

Meanwhile, Gravina also commented on the upheaval in the Italy camp with Luciano Spalletti’s dismissal in June and the arrival of Gennaro Gattuso on the bench.

“We are all victims of sporting results here: if the team loses, everything becomes a tragedy, even if the Federation itself is achieving great things in terms of sustainability.”