Support The Moscow Times!

St. Petersburg to Host 3 More Euro 2020 Games

St. Petersburg was initially scheduled to host three group stage matches and one quarter-final. Kirill Zykov / Moskva News Agency

Europe’s football governing body UEFA said Thursday that the Russian city of St. Petersburg will host three additional Euro 2020 group games after the original hosts of the 12-city tournament could not guarantee fan admittance due to the coronavirus. 

St. Petersburg was initially scheduled to host three group stage matches and one quarter-final when UEFA’s Euro 2020 kicks off this June. But UEFA relocated three games to Russia’s second city after authorities in the Spanish city of Bilbao and the Irish capital of Dublin could not give guarantees of welcoming enough fans into stadiums.

The three Group E matches initially scheduled for Dublin, will be reallocated to the St. Petersburg Stadium,” UEFA said.

The organization also moved four matches from Bilbao to Seville.

UEFA’s decision follows unconfirmed media reports last November said that it was considering giving Russia all hosting duties for the Euro 2020 championship as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged Europe.

The second wave caught up with Russia later in December and January, with the country currently among the world leaders in Covid-19 deaths and total cases.

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has said the organization is exploring several scenarios for holding the Euro 2020 finals in 2021, including slimming down the tournament from 12 host venues.

Russia’s three group-stage games against Belgium, Finland and Denmark will take place in St. Petersburg and Copenhagen this June.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more