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St Petersburg bids to host Euro 2020 matches

Final vote on Euro 2020 cities to be held late September
St. Petersburg stadium rendering. Photo ITAR-TASS
St. Petersburg stadium rendering. Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, September 12 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Football Union has submitted to the Union of European Football Associations St. Petersburg’s bid to host matches of the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship.

St. Petersburg will bid to host four Euro 2020 matches - three group stage matches and one quarterfinal. In 2018 it will host matches of the FIFA World Cup. Zenit Arena stadium that is being built now will be commissioned in July 2015.

The 60th anniversary of the first European Football Championship will be marked in 2020. The first final tournament was hosted by France and won by the Soviet Union.

Thirteen cities will host Euro 2020. The championship’s organizers believe such a step will help reduce costs of host cities. Twelve of thirteen cities will host o two group stage matches and one quarterfinal or round of 16. Two semi-finals and a final tournament will take place in one city.

Bids to host Euro 2020 matches will be considered at the UEFA Executive Committee’s session in Croatia’s Dubrovnik on September 19-20.