St. Petersburg has been selected as one of the 13 host cities of the 2020 European Championship, UEFA announced Friday.
Russia's second largest city will host a quarterfinal and three group stage matches at the Zenit Arena, a 67,000-seat stadium currently being built ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Some Western politicians have called for Russia to be stripped of the right to host the 2018 World Cup and other large sporting events, a notion that football authorities have persistently rejected.
"Football is football, and politics are politics," UEFA president Michel Platini said, the Kommersant newspaper reported. "I don't see why St. Petersburg should not have been able to contend to host Euro 2020 matches."
In honor of the tournament's 60th anniversary, UEFA decided in 2012 that the 2020 European Championship would be held in several European countries instead of the usual one or two host nations.
Like St. Petersburg, Rome, Baku and Munich will each host a quarterfinal game and three group stage matches.
Two other Eastern European cities — Budapest and Bucharest — will also host elimination rounds and group stage matches. Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Bilbao, Brussels, Dublin and Glasgow will each host a handful of matches as well, while the tournament's final will be played at London's famed Wembley Stadium.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
