The Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, delivered weighty words in Naples. Speaking at the Ilva steelworks in Bagnoli during the meeting "Sport for All. From the Constitution to the Territory," the minister discussed preparations for the 2032 European Football Championship, which Italy will co-host with Turkey. He did so with a phrase that sounded like a warning: "A European Championship without Naples is unimaginable, but it is possible."
Abodi responded thus to a question about the timing and priorities related to the stadium issue, emphasizing the need to act quickly. "Time is running out ," he said, noting that Naples, along with other candidate venues, must accelerate to avoid being left behind. In his speech, the minister also mentioned the America's Cup , which Naples hopes to host in the coming years, calling both events "priorities with different characteristics."
But it's clear that attention remains focused on football and the possibility that the Maradona stadium, a symbol of Southern Italy, could risk not being included among the venues chosen for the competition. These words are igniting political and sporting debate in the city, where the risk of a European Championship "without Naples" is something no one wants to even imagine—but which, as Abodi noted, can no longer be ruled out.
