Italy drops Women’s Euro 2029 host bid leaving Germany to head 4-candidate race

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Italy withdrew from bidding to host the 2029 Women’s European Championship, leaving four contenders for the 16-team tournament.

Germany, Poland, Portugal and a joint bid by Denmark and Sweden will compete in a Dec. 3 vote by the UEFA executive committee, UEFA said on Friday.

Italy will co-host the men’s Euro 2032 with Turkey, though is already under pressure to deliver five modern stadiums on time.

Germany appears favored to deliver a high-revenue, 31-game tournament in 2029 that would use the stadiums of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Those venues can seat about 70,000 people for international games.

A hugely successful Euro 2025 in Switzerland in July set a tournament-record total attendance of more than 650,000 fans.

England retained its title, beating Spain in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in Basel, and will seek a hat trick in 2029 if it qualifies.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

England players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Women’s Euro 2025 final soccer match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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