Uefa outline blueprint for Euro 2020

Wembley Stadium is to bid to stage the climax of the tournament, which will be played in 13 countries across Europe, and is expected to face rival bids from Rome, Berlin, Madrid and Istanbul.

Host countries will not qualify automatically, but if they do their national team will be guaranteed to play at least two of the three group matches at home, Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino told a news conference in Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday.

Infantino said: “The matches of the Euro will be split into 13 packages — 12 cities who will have three group stage matches and one knock-out round match and one city will host the two semi-finals and final. There will be only one venue per country, and it means the semi-finals and final will be played in the same venue.”

Istanbul is the favourite for the final, but only if it loses its bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Uefa president Michel Platini has already said he would back the Turkish city.

He said: “That would be my vote, but if they get the Olympic Games it’s out of the question that they could stage the Euros or a match.”

Uefa also confirmed that two cities with smaller-capacity stadiums will be among the 13 chosen in an effort to allow smaller countries to enter the bidding — only 21 of the 53 Uefa member nations have stadiums of 50,000 or more.

Two host cities can have a stadium capacity as low as 30,000, 10 stadiums will have a 50,000 minimum capacity and four of those hosting the quarter-finals have to have grounds of at least 60,000.

The stadium that hosts the two semi-finals and final will have to be able to seat more than 70,000 fans.

Cardiff, Dublin and Glasgow are all expected to bid to host group matches at Euro 2020.

The Football Association will also bid for group matches and quarter-finals if its final bid for Wembley is unsuccessful.

The bidding requirements will be decided at a meeting of Uefa’s executive committee on March 28.