Márton Gyulai, a European Athletics Council member, took to social media to say Hungary was "ready to negotiate" and was "looking forward to turning this dream into reality".

Dublin was scheduled to host the championships on December 13 only for it to be cancelled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, European Athletics cited the "overall uncertainty on hosting mass sporting events", the "existing sanitary restrictions in Ireland" and the "travel restrictions imposed across Europe" as the reasons behind the cancellation.

But Gyulai claims Hungary can stage the event for the first time since 2012 when Szentendre played host.

Gyulai's tweet read: "Hungarian Athletics is willing to help @EuroAthletics organise the 2020 European Cross Country Championships – we are ready to negotiate to jump in and host the Championship, to give athletes the champs they so richly deserve – looking fwd to turning this dream into reality!"

Gyulai, a former Olympian in bobsleigh, was behind Budapest being awarded the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

The 2020 European Cross Country Championships was due to take place at Dublin's National Sports Campus and was viewed as the "last opportunity" to stage a major European event in 2020.

Last week, European Athletics' Interim President Dobromir Karamarinov insisted it was a "very tough choice" to call off the championships.

"Following the cancellation of the Paris 2020 European Athletics Championship a few months ago, this was the last opportunity for a major European Athletics event this year and cancelling it was not an option we chose lightly," Karamarinov said.

"I know that all the athletes and entire athletics community were looking forward to this event but I ask them to keep heart.

"I would like to pay tribute to both the local Organising Committee for their commitment and hard work to date, and to Athletics Ireland for their fantastic support while we deal with these difficult times for our sport."