OFFICIAL: Greece, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria confirm bid to host 2028 European Championship and 2030 World Cup

On Saturday, the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) officially revealed that Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania will make a joint bid to host UEFA Euro 2028 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with the four countries eager to prove their strength to the rest of the world.

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As previously reported on AGONAsport, the Greek government had met with its Serbian, Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts earlier this autumn in connection with the idea to submit a bid to host the 2030 World Cup in the four countries. Until today, the idea had been kept at conversation level, but both Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the EPO have now confirmed that the nations will submit a joint bid to organise the 2030 World Cup or the Euro 2028.

Here is the EPO statement released on Saturday evening:

“Representing the Hellenic Football Federation, organisation president Evangelos Grammenos, accompanied by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Greek Deputy Minister for Sport Giorgos Vassiliadis participated in a meeting with Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania with prime ministers, sports ministers and football federation presidents all discussing the joint nomination of the four countries to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup or UEFA Euro 2028.

Matters regarded the bid’s details and its preparations were discussed. It was agreed to create a committee made up of 16 members consisting of four members from each country, two of which will come from the government and two from the respective football federation.

The countries’ next meeting has been scheduled for Sofia in February and for Thessaloniki in April 2019.”

“We have discussed the joint bid to host either UEFA Euro 2028 or the 2030 FIFA World Cup, and this will be of huge importance for the four countries,” noted Tsipras. “We want to represent the Balkan region in a positive light.”

The region has not hosted a major international tournament since the 1976 European Championship in Yugoslavia. However, Greece was the host nation for the 2004 Olympic Games, and UEFA Euro 2020 matches will be held in Romania.

If Greece were to host either competition, the Olympic Stadium (Maroussi, Athens), Karaiskakis Stadium (Piraeus), Agia Sophia Stadium (Nea Filadelfeia, Athens) and the Toumba Stadium (Thessaloniki) are all expected to be used for the tournament.

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sdna.gr

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