The Naples City Council officially launched a services conference on June 15, 2026 to approve a comprehensive overhaul of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium—a move aimed at positioning the city among Italy's five host venues for the 2032 European Championship. Approval is expected by mid-July, allowing the city to file its official UEFA candidacy before the end of the month, as mandated by both the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and UEFA.
The Project at a Glance:
• Financing secured: The project has a budget of €250M, with the Campania Region pledging €200M and Naples City contributing €50M.
• Capacity expansion: The stadium will grow from 55,000 to 70,000 seats, positioning it among Italy's largest football venues.
• Timeline critical: Italy must present its final five-stadium roster by October 2026, with construction or renovation required to begin by March 2027 or risk losing co-host status.
The Maradona Stadium Project
The renovation of the Maradona Stadium represents a significant undertaking in Naples' bid to host Euro 2032 matches. According to municipal authorities, the project involves modernizing the 1959-built facility, which was renamed in 2020 following the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona. The expansion to 70,000 seats is designed to meet UEFA's hosting requirements for major tournaments.
The venue, currently home to SSC Napoli, would join other Italian cities in advancing major stadium projects ahead of the 2032 European Championship co-hosting opportunity.
Italy's Euro 2032 Hosting Bid
Naples is among ten Italian cities originally nominated by the FIGC to host Euro 2032 matches. The final decision on Italy's five venues—matching the five allocated to co-host Turkey—will be made by the UEFA Executive Committee in October 2026.
UEFA has mandated that any venue failing to begin construction by March 2027 will be disqualified from the tournament hosting roster, a deadline that has prompted stadium planning and renovation efforts across multiple Italian cities.
Timeline and Next Steps
The services conference, launched on June 15, 2026, brings together municipal departments, regional authorities, and relevant stakeholders to review the project. Assuming no major objections emerge, formal approval is expected by mid-July. The city will then submit its complete dossier—including financing commitments and project schedules—to the FIGC and UEFA before July 31.
Between now and October, UEFA officials will conduct evaluations at candidate stadiums across both Italy and Turkey. The final venues will be announced in autumn, after which cities have five months—until March 2027—to begin construction or face elimination from the hosting list.
For Naples, the Maradona Stadium project represents an opportunity to modernize one of Italy's historic football venues and secure placement among Europe's premier tournament hosts.
