http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2166858/Michel-Platini-Euro-2020-hosted-continent.htmlUEFA president Michel Platini has dropped a bombshell by claiming Euro 2020 could be held in up to 32 cities across Europe.
Turkey had been favourites to host the event but doubt has been placed over their ability to stage the event due to their ongoing bid for Istanbul to host the Olympic Games in the same year.
It would be impractical to host both, so UEFA are having to look at alternatives.
Radical: Michel Platini (centre) has announced plans to overhaul the European Championships
Platini insists there are other options - a joint bid between Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland has been mentioned - but the controversial Frenchman has raised the potential for a far more radical solution.
'The Euros in 2020 could be held all over Europe,' said Platini.
Empty seats were sold - Platini
UEFA president Michel Platini has insisted Euro 2012 was a sell-out.
Although largely well-attended, there have been a large number of empty seats at certain games.
Spaces were notable at England's opening match with France, and also Wednesday's semi-final between Portugal and Spain, which also took place in Donetsk.
Huge costs of travel and accommodation have been blamed for relatively small number of fans who went to Poland and Ukraine, with the level of England's support as low as anyone can remember.
Yet Platini insists the issue had more to do with seats allocated to corporate partners not being used rather than tickets not being purchased.
'We sold 100 per cent of tickets and had 98 per cent of stadia filled,' said Platini. 'That's enormous.
'We also had 12,000 accreditations and there were partners who had tickets and expensive hotel rooms. 98 per cent of those seats were filled, the 2 per cent who don't come is up to them.'
.'We are just thinking about it. I have said 12 or 13 host cities, it could be 24 or 32.'
The reasoning behind what seems, on the face of it, to be a rather bizarre plan, is to save the cost involved of building stadiums and airports.
However, unless the 'tournament' was going to be played in cities already used to holding big matches, that expense would still be required.
The details are very sketchy. However, speaking in Kiev, Platini seems enthused by the prospect.
'It is a great debate,' he said.
'It would be four games per venue and everyone has the possibility to host it.'
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