UEFA Euro 2020 host Cities sing Čeferin tune

Article posted by Coliseum, April 6^th, 2021

Image: Puskás Aréna

Pursuant to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin recently asking all Euro 2020 host Cities to “allow fans into grounds or risk being dropped”, all 12 host cities at Euro 2020 indicated to UEFA on April 5^th, 2021 that they will accommodate at least some fans at the tournament in the summer, ahead of a deadline to confirm numbers this week.

‘Mail Online’ stated that Čeferin did a lot of tough talk recently and warned host Cities that they would lose their matches if they could not confirm supporters will be present by the April 7^th deadline.

However, all of the venues are expected to confirm the attendance of supporters when they make their submissions on April 7^th, albeit with some offering to fit in just 10 percent of the overall capacity of their stadia.

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“We have several scenarios, but the one guarantee we can make is that the option of playing any Euro 2020 match in an empty stadium is off the table. Every host must guarantee there will be fans at their games,” the UEFA boss asserted last month.

‘Mail Online’ further stated that commitments of just 10 percent capacity may not be sufficient to satisfy Čeferin and UEFA.

‘Shaky Dublin’

It is reported that the Irish Government has been warned a threshold of 25 percent capacity may be required to hang on to its four fixtures.

A spokesman for the Department of Sport in Ireland stated, “The Government is not in a position at this point to provide assurances on minimum spectator levels.”

Dublin (Ireland’s capital) is still believed to be the shakiest of the host Cities as the COVID-19 situation in Ireland is very grim.

The European governing body had hoped to make a decision on which of the 12 venues would be retained by the end of the week.

But UEFA is now braced for further delay in deciding whether any cities will be dropped from the tournament as it and Governments across the continent wrestle with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic which still has Europe in its fatal twirl.

It is expected to proceed on a City-by-City basis. The matter will presumably have to be resolved by April 20^th, when UEFA’s Congress is due to meet and the formal decision on host Cities is set to be taken.

UEFA wants Cities to confirm they can accommodate fans and then scale up the numbers as the coronavirus situation takes a turn for the better. It appears the numbers of fans can be increased until April 28^th.

With the COVID-19 seesaw on in different parts of the globe, the uncertainties – and disparities between different Cities – are huge.

While Dublin and the Irish Government are very cautious, Russia is exceptionally confident.

The UEFA Euro 2020 was postponed in March 2020 due to the global outbreak of coronavirus. As per the revised dates, it will be taking place from June 11^th to July 11^th, 2021.

The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020, is scheduled to be the 16^th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Europe organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the administrative body for football, futsal and beach soccer in Europe. It is one of the six continental confederations of world football’s governing body FIFA. UEFA consists of 55 national association members.

Gazprom Arena

The Russian Organizing Committee for Saint Petersburg’s games at the rescheduled Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2020 stated recently that the nod has been given for 50 percent capacity at Gazprom Arena (Russia), while Hungary has indicated that only vaccinated fans will be allowed to attend games in Budapest.

‘RIA News’ quoted Alexey Sorokin, Director General, UEFA EURO 2020 Organizing Committee in St. Petersburg, as stating that the European Football Championship will be held in St. Petersburg sticking to strict coronavirus rules and with the minimum permissible restrictions. The COVID-19 situation continues to be grim in Russia with the country reporting more than 100,717 deaths so far from the dreaded virus.

The 68,000-capacity Krestovsky Stadium, known as Gazprom Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a retractable roof stadium with a retractable pitch in the western portion of Krestovsky Island in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The stadium was opened in 2017 for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

‘RIA News’ further quoted Sorokin as stating, “We look at EURO with optimism, we already have an agreement on a 50 percent occupancy of the stands, we already have all the parameters for holding the competition. We are working on the admission of foreign fans, this does not cause rejection by the authorities. We are confident that the central sporting event for Russia will be held with the minimum permissible restrictions and in compliance with all the necessary rules.”

Budapest

A Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, Gergely Gulyás, stated recently that only fans that have got the shot in their arms will be allowed entry at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary.

‘nemzeti sport’ quoted Gulyás as stating, “We have indicated to UEFA that those who have been vaccinated can take part in the European Championship matches in Budapest.”

Puskás Aréna is a football stadium in the 14^th district (Zugló) of Budapest, Hungary. The stadium’s construction started in 2017 and was finished before the end of 2019. It is an all-seater with a capacity of 67,215.

Puskás Aréna is due to host three Group F matches, plus a Round of 16 encounters.

Copenhagen

Danish Culture Minister Joy Mogensen has confirmed that Copenhagen’s (Denmark) Parken Stadium will be able to welcome at least 11,000 fans at this summer’s UEFA Euro 2020.

The 38,065-capacity Parken Stadium, also known simply as Parken and as Telia Parken, is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The facility is due to host four matches at the rescheduled Euro 2020.

Mogensen said the attendance cap could be increased depending on the COVID-19 situation in Denmark in the summer.

A statement sent out by Mogensen read, “The European Football Championship is a unique and historic event in Denmark. The Government has, therefore, decided to allow at least 11,000-12,000 spectators for the four matches held in the Park.”

The above announcement has been welcomed by the Danish Football Association (DBU) Chief Executive, Jakob Jensen.

Stated Jensen, “We are very pleased that the Government is reporting back in good time with a positive signal to get fans in the stadium for the European Championships. It is a big and very important step to have a football party and to feel the community in the Park and throughout Denmark this summer.”

An expert group has been set up to assess the exact fan attendance but Mogensen stressed that it “may be necessary” to make matchups a closed door affair if Copenhagen registers a rise in virus rates. The Government has informed the DBU and UEFA that such a scenario may arise.

Denmark has been drawn in Group B alongside Finland, Belgium and Russia. Copenhagen will host Denmark’s matches against Russia on June 12^th, Belgium on June 17^th and Russia on June 21^st, before staging a knockout match on June 28^th.

Host cities

Amsterdam (Netherlands), Baku (Azerbaijan), Bilbao (Spain), Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Glasgow (UK), London (UK), Munich (Germany), Rome (Italy), and Saint Petersburg (Russia).

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