Germany tells UEFA it will not bid for Euro 2020
Reuters - Friday 27 April 2012, 12:37
Germany will not bid to host
Euro 2020, the country's football
association said on Friday, ending months of speculation
regarding the football crazy nation's intentions.
Germany, hosts of the 2006 World Cup and the 2011 women's
World Cup, said it was the turn for other countries to stage one
of the world's top sporting events.
"The thought of welcoming the continent's best teams and
their fans in Germany is naturally very attractive," said German
football association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach in a
statement.
"But after the 2006 and 2011 World Cups it is the right of
other countries to take over the hospitality role."
So far only Turkey have submitted their declared interest
while Azerbaijan and Georgia have said they are planning to file
a joint bid.
The deadline for a declaration of interest is May 15.
The tournament, first staged with four teams in 1960, will
have 24 finalists from 2016 onwards which limits the number of
countries who can stage it single-handedly.
Turkey lost out by a single vote to France in a bid to stage
the 2016 finals.