RUSSIA have launched a shock bid to host Euro 2028 and Euro 2032 – rivalling the UK & Ireland's attempts to host the competition.

It comes despite Vladimir Putin's recent invasion of Ukraine – which has seen the country's national team banned from the World Cup later this year.

While the country is banned from football's biggest tournaments, the Russian Football Union has still been invited to take part in Fifa's annual congress later this week.

And they have stated their desire to host either of the next two European Championships after Germany holds the event in 2024.

Member of the Executive Committee of the RFU, Sergey Anokhin, said they have decided to apply to host several tournaments.

He said: "The executive committee decided that we would apply to host the European Championship 2028 and Euro 2032."

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Euro 2028 will be hosted in UK and Ireland with Uefa set to confirm venue

Earlier on Wednesday it was reported that the UK and Republic of Ireland have submitted a joint “expression of interest” in staging the 2028 Euros.

The FAs of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland had been considering a bid to host the World Cup in 2030.

They even spent £2.8million on a feasibility study into it.

However, last month they decided to switch their focus to trying to secure the Euros instead.

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And now they could incredibly be joined by Russia in the race to stage the tournament.

The deadline to submit applications to host the 2028 Euros is today.

Turkey have already submitted their application, with Romania and Bulgaria submitting a joint bid, and Greece and Serbia doing the same.

The hosts will be confirmed in September 2023.

Reports last year indicated Uefa were planning to expand the competition to 24 teams at Euro 2024 and then to 32 teams four years later.

England hosted a handful of group games, knock-out matches plus the semi-finals and final of the delayed Euro 2020.

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The staging was a huge success until the final which saw rampant hooliganism with yobs forcing their way into Wembley for the showpiece event between England and Italy.

The joint bid from the UK and Ireland must hope Uefa can look beyond that and trust they are capable of avoiding a repeat of the shameful scenes.

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