Euro 2021: UEFA will pay 1.3 million euros to Bilbao, host city ousted

1.3 million is the sum that UEFA will pay to the city of Bilbao.

The latter also obtained the right to organize prestigious competitions: a final of the Europa League and the Women's Champions League, those of 2024 and 2025, according to the Spanish media.

Last April, the sports body had withdrawn from the city its status as host city for Euro 2021. UEFA wanted the stadiums to be able to accommodate the public.

But, Bilbao was not in a position to respect all the sanitary conditions allowing a reception of the supporters in San Mamés, the stadium where the meetings were to be held.

Seville had therefore been chosen to host the matches of the Euro.

This decision angered the leaders of Bilbao who had decided to take legal action against the organization.

It is therefore a victory for the Basque city.

The mayor, Juan Mari Aburto, welcomed it in a series of tweets.

Por un lado, recuperando la integridad de la inversión producida, 1.3 Millones de euros y, por otro, consiguiendo que #SanMames acoja una final de la @EuropaLeague de clubes y una final de la #Champions femenina de clubes en los próximos años .

- Juan Mari Aburto (@juanmariaburto) June 11, 2021

He also adds that “UEFA recognizes the will, the capacity and the good management of the Basque institutions in the development of the organizational tasks of the canceled event and their willingness to work on new events that will give us international visibility and will have a strong economic impact. We are satisfied to have been able to highlight the serious, professional, coherent and responsible work carried out for Euro 2020 and to have acted firmly to defend and promote our interests, also carrying out new projects ”.