DFB submits declaration of interest in hosting Euro 2024

The president of the German football association (DFB), Reinhard Grindel, traveled to the Swiss city of Nyon, on Wednesday, where he handed the DFB's declaration of interest in hosting Euro 2024 to UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis.

"It was important to me to personally show UEFA that we are determined and united behind this application," Grindel said in a statement posted on the DFB's website. "Working together with the (applicant) cities and stadiums we will now put together a professional application, which we will submit by the deadline of April 2018."

In his statement, Grindel also noted that due to the DFB's "wealth of experience, existing stadium-infrastructure and the existing surrounding conditions" it was capable of hosting a "cost-efficient, first-class tournament." In what may have been a veiled reference to the political situation in Turkey, the only other country to have publicly expressed interest in hosting the tournament, Grindel also noted that if Germany got the nod, Euro 2024 would be hosted by a country where "basic rights prevail."

What Theodoridis was handed was a 40-page declaration, including information about the 17 German cities and stadiums that could potentially host Euro 2024 matches. An 18th city, Dresden, had also expressed interest, but was dropped from the list as its stadium does not fulfill the criteria of having at least 30,000 seats. 

The move came as little surprise after the DFB presidency unanimously voted back  in January to apply to host the tournament.

UEFA will confirm on March 10 which countries applied to host Euro 2024. The DFB is to whittle its list of venues down to the required 10 September of this year. Football's European governing body is to announce which country will host the 2024 European championship one year later.