England’s bid to host the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020 at Wembley may be unchallenged at next month’s vote with Germany FA chiefs considering dropping Munich’s rival bid.
Germany wants to stage Euro 2024 and its football federation (DFB) may now only bid for Munich to host group games at Euro 2020 so as not to harm its campaign for the tournament four years later.
UEFA is holding Euro 2020 in 13 different countries to mark the 60th anniversary of the tournament and only Wembley and Munich’s Allianz Arena have put in bids to host the climax of the competition – the semi-finals and final – ahead of the vote on September 19.
DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach said that a decision on whether to press ahead with a bid for the final remains “open” but in a huge boost for England’s hopes made it clear that both the DFB and the FA would work together to support each other.
Niersbach said: “We still have the two options – to host the final rounds or four matches in the first rounds.
“Our decision is open. We have an excellent relationship with the FA.
“We are sitting together very often and thinking about the possibilities of how we can support the other association.
“It is still open but I am totally convinced that we will have both Wembley and Munich on the land map for Euro 2020.
“Discussions on the final round are still open. But we are very relaxed about it.”
It is understood talks took place between the FA and DFB in June where the possibility of withdrawing Munich’s bid for the final were raised by the Germans.
Niersbach also confirmed that Germany would bid for Euro 2024, which would be the first major men’s football tournament the country has hosted since its hugely successful World Cup in 2006.
“I officially announced already at our general assembly in October 2013 that we want to host Euro 2024,” he added.
The FA has already tried to shore up support for Wembley within UEFA by pulling out of the running to host FIFA’s 2019 women’s World Cup, leaving the field in Europe free for France to bid against South Korea, New Zealand and South Africa.
For the Euro 2024 tournament, Germany would be up against Turkey in the bidding – the Turkish federation withdrew Istanbul as a potential candidate for the Euro 2020 final to target hosting Euro 2024 alone.
Germany could certainly count on the support of England’s UEFA executive committee member David Gill in that Euro 2024 vote.
Some 19 countries are bidding to host games in Euro 2020, most targeting a package of three group-stage matches in the 24-team tournament, plus a single knockout match from the last-16 or quarter-finals rounds.
Glasgow, Cardiff and Dublin have bid to host early matches, along with Bilbao, Rome, Munich, Stockholm, St Petersburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Jerusalem, Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Baku, Minsk and Skopje.