Italy unveils Euro-2016 bid cities

The Italian Football Federation (Figc) has announced the 12 cities involved in its bid to stage the 2016 European Championships.

Figc, which also unveiled the official logo for its candidacy, said the cities are Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Turin, Udine and Verona.

Italy has not hosted a major football tournament since the World Cup in 1990, when West Germany emerged victorious.

Many new stadiums were built for that tournament and others remodelled but most of those have since fallen into disrepair and decline.

“The 2016 European Championships could represent an historic opportunity to transform the quality, security and welcome in Italian stadiums and will continue the project of cultural renewal of our footballing system in Italy,” said Figc president Giancarlo Abete.

The European Championships in 2016 will for the first time see an expansion to 24 teams from 16 and will see the host nation organise a record 51 matches.

France, Turkey and a joint Scandinavian bid from Sweden and Norway are the other candidates.

The winner will be announced by UEFA, European football’s governing body, on May 27, 2010.

The next European championships in 2012 are being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.