England will at last stage another major football tournament after Wembley was awarded the final and semi-finals of Euro 2020 in Geneva on Friday.
The UEFA ExCo voted in favour of Wembley over Munich’s Allianz Arena for the marquee matches in a tournament being staged in 13 cities across Europe – the brainchild of UEFA President Michel Platini.
After the doomed bids to hold the World Cups in 2006 and 2018, this was the first successful campaign by the FA since the decision in Lisbon 1992 to award Euro 96 to England.
The UEFA vote for Wembley – held in an eyesore exhibition building in Geneva – was regarded almost as a foregone conclusion with the big FA party including England manager Roy Hodgson, FA chairman Greg Dyke and past and present Ministers of Sport Helen Grant and Kate Hoey, London Mayor Boris Johnson’s Commissioner for sport.
UEFA regard Wembley as their favourite stadium on the continent, especially with its money-making potential from the tier of 17,000 corporate seats. The ground has hosted UEFA’s flagship Champions League final twice in the last four years.
It was a complicated secret ballot with the 17-strong voting UEFA executive, which includes Manchester United director David Gill not involved in any vote involving their own country. Agency report
