European football's governing body has notified Switzerland and Austria that they could lose permission to co-host the 2008 European Championship unless shortcomings in their preparations are corrected by the end of the year.
UEFA officials sent letters to the two countries' football associations expressing disappointment over Switzerland's failure to build a new stadium in Zurich for the championship. It warned that the event could be awarded to one of the other candidates that originally bid to host the tournament. Legal challenges against replacing Zurich's current Hardturm Stadium have made it impossible to have the complex ready in time for the 2008 tournament. UEFA has specified that any new venue to be considered must be fully operational by the summer of 2007, to allow enough time to test all facilities during a regular soccer season.