By the time the bidding process for the 2028 and 2032 editions closed on March 23 last year European football’s governing body was working with three bids.

A joint British and Irish bid was made in February last year to host Euro 2028, and Italy bid for the 2032 edition.

There was also a last-minute bid by Russian and Turkey for the 2028 and 2032 editions.

Russia's bid was unable to go ahead as they were suspended by UEFA following the invasion of Ukraine, but the TFF interest remained to complicate the issue for either the British or Italian bids.

But it was announced by UEFA today that Italy and Turkey had joined forces to bid together for the 2032 European Championships.

UEFA said it will "now work with FIGC and TFF to ensure that the documentation to be submitted for their joint bid is compliant with the bidding requirements.

"If the joint bid does comply with such requirements, it will be submitted to the UEFA Executive Committee at the meeting scheduled on 10 October, where the appointments for 2028 and 2032 will be made.

"Decisions on venues and match schedules will be made at a later stage."

The FIGC decided to concentrate on the second of the two prospective tournaments so that it could work on constructing or modernising stadia "over a longer time-frame".

Italy has previously held the men's European Championship in 1968 and 1980, although those editions featured only four and eight teams, respectively, compared to the 24 countries that feature under the current format.

There are plans to replace the country's biggest stadium - the San Siro in Milan which is set to host the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics - with European football giants AC Milan and Inter Milan hoping to move into the new venue by 2027.

TFF President Mehmet Büyükekşi claimed that the decision to merge with Italy would help relations between the two countries.

"Today, we have made an important decision for both Turkish and European football," he said. 

"Our partnership with the Italian Football Federation reflects the values of friendship and cooperation within European football. 

"I believe that this joint move will strengthen the existing cooperation between the two Mediterranean countries, those have been part of a similar culture and deep-rooted history for centuries, and will build an important bridge for the future of our football."

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina also framed the new campaign as a joint Mediterranean bid which had the power to bring two different cultures together. 

"We are facing a historic turning point which has as its objective the enhancement of continental football," he said.

"The project, in addition to bringing two consolidated realities in the European football scene closer together, enhances the values of friendship and cooperation, involving two worlds characterized by deep historical roots, two cultures which, over the millennia, have mutually contaminated each other, substantially influencing the history of Mediterranean Europe. 

"Football wants to be an ideal bridge for sharing the passions and emotions related to sport."

The British Government confirmed its joint bid for Euro 2028 last year through a joint statement from the five national governing bodies of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

They cited a feasibility study which analysed the economic impact, "political football landscape" and the costs of staging a major international tournament.

"Hosting a UEFA EURO offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner," the organisations claimed.

"It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host UEFA Euro 2028 and to welcome all of Europe."

England had hosted Euro 1996 and hosted several matches during the Pan European 2020 European Championships, postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the final at Wembley Stadium when Italy beat the hosts on penalties.

Hampden Park in Scotland also staged games during Euro 2020.

Germany is due to host Euro 2024, a tournament set to feature 24 countries playing at 10 venues.