Italy joins bid race to host women's Euro 2029 ahead of co-hosting men's Euro 2032

GENEVA (AP) — Italy joined a busy bid race on Tuesday to host the 2029 European Championship in women’s soccer, aiming to involve cities that will not stage games at the men’s Euro 2032.

Italy is competing with Germany, Poland, Portugal and a joint Denmark-Sweden project in expressing interest in the marquee women’s tournament to UEFA. The decision by UEFA’s executive committee is due in December next year.

Across the Alps in neighboring Switzerland from Italy’s announcement, the Women’s Euro 2025 host launched ticket sales Tuesday for its tournament with a penalty shootout at 3,454 meters (11,333 feet) above sea level featuring former international players.

The 2025 edition, being played in Switzerland next July 2-27, and the 2029 tournament Italy wants to host are 16-team events using eight stadiums.

The men’s Euro 2032 will be co-hosted by Italy and Turkey likely using five stadiums in each country for the 24-team, 51-game event.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said in a statement hosting in 2029 could be “an act of respect” for cities and stadiums likely not involved in Euro 2032.

Switzerland launched ticket sales on a glacier at the “Top of Europe” — next to the continent’s highest altitude train station.

At the Jungfraujoch peak in central Switzerland, teams of international and youth players shot spot-kicks on a snowy pop-up pitch on the Aletsch glacier.

“It’s a beautiful country,” said Johan Djourou, the former Arsenal and Switzerland defender now leading national soccer federation projects in the women’s game.

After the success of the last Euro hosted in England in 2022, Djourou said, “we have the quality to make it be as big in Switzerland and have a huge, huge impact in Europe.”

More than 250,000 tickets of the tournament’s total 720,000 capacity went on sale Tuesday at prices from 25 to 90 Swiss francs ($30-106).

UEFA expects 150,000 international visitors to Switzerland for the tournament. They will get free public transport with match tickets.

Eight of the 15 qualifying places to join the host Swiss have been sealed, including holder England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the 2023 Women's World Cup winner.

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The Associated Press