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Turkey announces candidacy to host Euro 2024

Xinhua, February 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

Turkey announced on Wednesday an ambitious bid to host the 2024 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Championship, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) chief Yildirim Demiroren said at a press conference in Istanbul that Turkey would be formally presented to UEFA on March 2, just before the March 3 deadline for candidates.

Turkey has so far bidden three times to host the football event, but lost out to France by just one vote.

In 2010, Turkey lost out narrowly by one vote to France in the bidding to host the 2016 Euro competition.

In 2014, Turkey withdrew its bid to host final stage matches of Euro 2020.

"We believe that Turkey deserves to win this time," Demiroren said.

Turkish Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic said that Turkey now had the best stadium infrastructure in Europe and its only rival in terms of recently built venues was the United States.

"Turkey is able to organize anything on a world sporting level," he added.

In the 2024 race, Turkey will face competition from 2006 World Cup hosts Germany, as well as a combination of Nordic countries including Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

The 17-member UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) executive committee selects the hosts for the tournament, and the winner would be announced in September 2018. Endit