UEFA to check Italy's 2016 bid

A UEFA delegation will visit Rome next week to discuss and weigh up Italy's credentials as possible hosts of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.

With the appointment of the hosts fast approaching, European football's governing body is visiting the three candidates – Turkey (8/9 April), Italy (12/13 April) and France (14/15 April) – as part of the final technical analysis of the three bids.

The trio of candidates formally handed over their bid dossiers to UEFA in Nyon in February.

Italy deliver 2016 Euro bid [+]

UEFA has analysed the written bid dossiers and sent a list of open points to the three bidders. During the coming week, technical workshops will take place in each of the bidding countries to clarify any open points, with the UEFA delegation arriving in Italy on 12 April to hold talks with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

The visiting officials will also gain an insight into the political feeling of support from central government and the cities, meeting with Italy's governmental representatives at the Palazzo Chigi on 13 April.

Following the technical workshops in each country, an evaluation report will be produced. It will be made public on 14 May, and sent to the bidders, the UEFA National Team Competitions Committee and the UEFA Executive Committee.

The National Team Competitions Committee will meet on 26 May to finalise technical recommendations to the Executive Committee, and the key aspects of the bid and technical evaluations will be presented by National Team Competitions Committee delegates to the Executive Committee on 27 May.

On 28 May, the bidders will make their final presentation to the Executive Committee, whose members will then deliberate and vote.

In accordance with the regulations, UEFA President Michel Platini (France), UEFA Executive Committee first vice-President Senes Erzik (Turkey) and, UEFA Executive Committee member and President of FIGC Giancarlo Abete (Italy) may not take part in the discussions and are not entitled to vote.

The hosts of UEFA EURO 2016 will be announced in Geneva, Switzerland at 12:00 UK time (+1 hr for Italy/CET) on 28 May.

UEFA Euro 2016 - Bidding process
> 15 December 2008
Invitation to bid for Euro 2016 sent out by UEFA to its 53-member associations.
> 9 March 2009
Deadline for member associations to confirm their interest for Euro 2016.
> 3 April 2009
UEFA announced France, Italy, Turkey and Norway/Sweden as official bidders of Euro 2016. (The latter joint-bid pulled out in December 2009).
> 15 February 2010
Bid dossier handover in Nyon, Switzerland.
> As of 19 March 2010
List of open points sent to the bidders by UEFA (for reasons of equal treatment the list will be sent out 17 days prior to each final technical workshop).
> 7 to 15 April 2010
Final technical workshops and official visits. (Turkey on 8/9 April, Italy on 12/13 April, and France on 14/15 April).
> 29 April 2010
Qualitative report sent to the bidders for review.
> 6 May 2010
Meeting of bidders with delegates of the UEFA National Team Competitions Committee and UEFA administration.
> 14 May 2010
Qualitative report sent to bidders, UEFA Executive Committee, UEFA National Team Competitions Committee, and released to the public.
> 26-27 May 2010
Meeting of the UEFA National Team Competitions Committee and meeting with the UEFA Executive Committee in Geneva, Switzerland.
> 28 May 2010
Final bid presentations, voting* and announcement ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland.

* Thirteen members of the UEFA Executive Committee will be allowed to participate in the voting process: Geoffrey Thompson (England), Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain), Marios N. Lefkaritis (Cyprus), Dr Joseph Mifsud (Malta), Allan Hansen (Denmark), Frantisek Laurinec (Slovakia), Avraham Luzon (Israel), Dr Gilberto Madail (Portugal), Mircea Sandu (Romania), Grigoriy Surkis (Ukraine), Michael van Praag (Netherlands), Liutauras Varanavicius (Lithuania), Dr Theo Zwanziger (Germany).

Source: UEFA