The future of Italian football also depends on the ability to develop modern, sustainable and competitive infrastructure, with a vision that can anticipate the industry's future needs. This was the main topic of the third panel on the Engagement Stage by Go Project at SFS 26, featuring Michele Uva, UEFA Executive Director for EURO 2032 Italy, interviewed by Giuseppe De Bellis, Executive Vice President Sport, News and Entertainment at Sky.
The discussion focused on the future of sports infrastructure in Italy, exploring five key steps: anticipating, planning, building, accelerating and giving back.
The first topic was anticipation, which is essential when designing facilities that can meet future needs. "Anticipation is a key concept for infrastructure, but also for management in general. You either anticipate change or you have to deal with its consequences – explains the EURO 2032 Executive Director –. You can't plan a stadium based on the present or the past. You need to think about what that stadium will be like in 15 years."
This vision is closely linked to planning, the second step and a key principle in the organisation of EURO 2032. "Planning is the key to success. UEFA starts organising an event six years in advance, working with colleagues from previous editions and developing a timeline that continues to evolve," explains Uva. Planning is also essential to ensure the financial sustainability of competitions.
As the UEFA executive pointed out, the European Championship is a major source of financial support for its 55 member associations, generating more than €3 billion in revenue per edition.
The third step is building, a process that requires skills, motivation and, above all, shared values. "Every organisation needs two essential things to build a stadium or organise an event: people and values. Without a team that believes in the same principles, you can't build solid foundations." According to Uva, infrastructure can transform the identity of a city or a club, making continuous innovation essential to meet the needs of the local community.
The fourth step is acceleration, which means being ready to change your approach and learn from successful experiences, including those from other countries. This is particularly relevant ahead of EURO 2032: "UEFA currently has 14 project proposals for new stadiums in Italy to be developed by 2031. In just 12 months, local and national stakeholders have understood the need to speed things up."
One of the examples mentioned was Palermo, which completed the process needed to gain UEFA recognition for its infrastructure project in just eleven months. This could mark the beginning of a new phase in the development of Italian sports facilities.
The discussion ended with the concept of giving back, meaning creating value for local communities and sharing knowledge with future generations. "I want to give something back to my country by helping organise the European Championship in Italy, but I also want to share my knowledge and experience with young people, as long as they are willing to build their future through education, passion and determination," concluded Michele Uva.