Putin says Russia fulfilling obligations to host 2020 UEFA Euro Cup matches amid pandemic

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Arranging the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup matches in St. Petersburg amid the coronavirus pandemic is in line with obligations undertaken by the Russian government, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "First of all, we had to fulfill obligations, which the government had assumed regarding the organization of this major sports event," Putin stated. The 2020 UEFA Euro Cup, which was postponed last year over the global outbreak of COVID-19, runs between June 11 and July 11, 2021 and Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg was picked as one of its venues. It was among the 12 cities initially proposed in Europe to host the European championship matches. St. Petersburg was initially granted the right to host three group stage matches and one of the quarterfinals of the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup. However, on April 23, St. Petersburg was granted the right to host three additional matches of the UEFA Euro Cup after Ireland’s Dublin and Spain’s Bilbao pulled out of the organization of the European football championship games citing anti-COVID-19 measures. Following the withdrawal of Bilbao and Dublin from the list of the championship’s hosting cities, the rescheduled 2020 UEFA Euro Cup is now staged in 11 cities, namely in London, England; Munich, Germany; Rome, Italy; Baku, Azerbaijan; St. Petersburg, Russia; Bucharest, Romania; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Budapest, Hungary; Glasgow, Scotland; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Seville, Spain. Read more