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The Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland is only months away and the final preparations are under way to make it one of the most memorable competitions of its kind.
The organizers of the tournament typically marked by high quality soccer and grounds with colorful atmosphere have already announced that the major projects have been completed for the kick off on June 7th in Basel, Switzerland.
Stadiums:
Switzerland:
St. Jakob-Park:
The St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel will have the honor to open the tournament with the Group A match between co-hosts Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
The ultra-modern venue, will host 6 games, including 3 group games, two quarter-finals and one semi-final.
The $CAD192.9 million stadium has a capacity of 42.500 people.
Stade de Geneve:
The 30.000 seat stadium, home of the Swiss Servette FC, will host three group-stage matches for Group A. The venue is located in Lancy, in the greater Geneva area.
Stade de Suisse Wankdorf:
The Stade de Suisse stadium in Berne was build on the grounds of the demolished Wankdorf stadium. It has a capacity of 32.000 spectators. One of its most interesting features is the integrated solar power system, the largest in the world with a yearly production of 700.000 kwh.
The construction cost for this venue, that opened in 2005, was $CAD533.8 million.
Letzigrund:
The Letzirgrund stadium in Zurich was opened in 1925 and has undergone extensive remodeling since. It has a capacity of 30.000 seats and will host 3 games during the Euro 2008. The latest remodeling last year had a cost of just over $CAD100 million.
Austria:
Tivoli Neu:
This stadium located in Innsbruck, Austria, will be expanded to 30.000 seats to host 3 games as one of the four Austrian venues included in the tournament. The stadium was open in 2000 after 18 months of construction. Located in the heart of the Alps, the city of Innsbruck is better known for hosting winter sports competitions and is one of the hosts of the annual New Years four-hills, ski-jumping competition.
Worthersee Stadium:
This multi-use stadium in Klagenfurt, Austria, has a capacity of 32.000 people, and the construction, which had a price tag of just over $CAD101 million, was finished in September 2007.
The stadium is home of SK Austria Karnten and will host 3 group stage games.
Wals-Siezenheim Stadium:
This stadium located near Salzburg, the birth place of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, has been expanded to 32.800 seats for the Euro 2008 and also features recreational facilities and restaurants.
It is the home of one of Austria’s biggest clubs, FC Salzburg. The artificial turf, the only one in the Austrian league, will be replaced in time to host its 3 group stage games.
Ernst Happel:
The largest stadium in Austria, located in the capital Vienna, will host the final of the Euro 2008 on June 29th. The stadium was officially opened in 1931 and has undergone numerous renovations since. It has a capacity of 53.008 and will also host 3 group stage games, 2 quarter-finals and a semi-final. The stadium is the home of the Austrian National soccer team, while Rapid Vienna soccer club also hosts its games in the UEFA competitions there.
During the years, the Ernst Happel Stadium has hosted the 1995 Champions League final, and the European Cup finals of 1990, 1987, 1970 and 1964.
Pitches:
The artificial pitches in Salzburg and Berne will be replaced by turf in time for the tournament, while the pitches in Klagenfurt, Innsbruck and Zurich are also to be re-laid. Some work will also be done to the existing turfs in Vienna, Geneva and Basel. The length of the grass on all of the eight venues will be set at 23 mm.
Security measures:
The authorities in Austria and Switzerland are working in close cooperation with their counterparts from the participating nations and other international institutions to ensure the tournament runs as smooth as possible.
Various scenarios have been played out on the eight venues, including terror threats, rioting and accidents, to give the police and fire workers a chance to rehearse cooperative strategies.
Media:
UEFA has issued about 800 accreditations to media representatives and broadcasters from more than 100 countries around the world, who will be reporting on the event. In addition, the stadiums have been redeveloped to modernize the news rooms to facilitate their work.
Referees:
12 referees and 24 assistants have been designated by UEFA to officiate the 31 matches.
The trios will consist of referees and assistant referees from the same country, all of which have been in charge of various European competitions in the past year, notably, the Champions League.
Tickets:
When the organizers put 1.05 million tickets on sale in March last year there were 8.7 million applications for the tournament. Each of the participating nations has been allocated 19 per cent of the stadium quota. The price for the tickets was from €45 ($CAD 69) to €110 ($CAD 169) for the group stage, while the price range for the final was from €160 ($CAD 246) to €550
($CAD 846).
Sources: UEFA, EURO 2008, Wikipedia.
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