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London-Munich fight for final

Richard ConnorApril 26, 2014

European football's governing body UEFA has announced that the semifinals and final of Euro 2020 soccer championship will be held in either London or Munich. No other city submitted a bid package in time.

https://p.dw.com/p/1BosK
Copyright: imago/Imagebroker Allianz Arena,
Image: imago/Imagebroker

Germany and England's football rivalry took a new slant on Saturday when UEFA announced either the British or Bavarian capital would host the final of the European Championship in 2020.

London and Munich were the only cities put forward by their country's respective football associations - ahead of an April 25 deadline - to stage a semifinal and possible final.

In a break with tradition, the tournament will be held in at least 12 countries across Europe, with 19 countries in all bidding to host games.

"By spreading the EURO across our continent, we will allow more fans from more nations to share in the excitement of hosting such a magical event," said UEFA President Michel Platini.

"Member associations will also benefit greatly from this format, since more of them will be exposed to an elite tournament and have the opportunity to increase the development of football in their respective countries," Platini added.

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Israel and Macedonia are among the countries that have never hosted a major tournament.

London and Munich also join 17 other contenders to host games in the early part of the tournament. The successful cities will stage three group matches and a knockout round during the competition.

Venues with a dramatic past

Both cities have provided the backdrop to football dramas involving England and Germany.

The old Wembley stadium was the venue of the 1966 World Cup final between the two countries - which was won 4-2 by England. It also staged the England-Germany semifinal of UEFA's Euro '96 tournament, which was won by Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The 2012 Champions League final - between Bayern Munich and Chelsea - was held at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. In a match that finished 1-1 after extra time, Chelsea finally vanquished Bayern in a rare example of an English side beating a German one on spot kicks.

The following countries and cities have been put forward to stage games during the tournament:

Azerbaijan (Baku), Belarus (Minsk), Belgium (Brussels), Bulgaria (Sofia), Denmark (Copenhagen), England (London), Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Skopje), Germany (Munich), Hungary (Budapest), Israel (Jerusalem), Italy (Rome), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Republic of Ireland (Dublin), Romania (Bucharest), Russia (Saint Petersburg), Scotland (Glasgow), Spain (Bilbao), Sweden (Stockholm), Wales (Cardiff).