England team’s Euro 2012 camp is a DUMP

THESE ramshackle showers are part of the shambolic dump chosen as England's Euro 2012 training ground.
The gutted changing rooms are strewn with rubble — and the churned-up pitch must be replaced.
An FA source said they picked Poland's Hutnik Krakow stadium because the other options were WORSE.
But the muddy, waterlogged pitch and rubble-strewn changing rooms are barely fit for a pub team.
Yet this tumbledown stadium, home to Polish part-timers Hutnik Krakow FC, will be England's Euro 2012 training base in six months.
Hutnik's bosses say extensive renovation is under way and their pampered Three Lions' guests can look forward to five-star treatment when they arrive.
But work has yet to start on laying a new pitch that is up to tournament standards.
And the dressing rooms and medical facilities, which have not been decorated since the 1970s, are a shambles.
The team bath is little more than a pile of grubby bricks.
The playing area is also wide open to prying eyes — so coach Fabio Capello may be forced to erect screens around the pitch to stop his training sessions being studied by rivals.
But despite the huge amount of work ahead, there was little evidence of urgency at the stadium yesterday.
Read more and view photos - http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3977895/England-teams-Euro-2012-camp-is-a-DUMP.html

Wayne Rooney Euro 2012 ban reduced to two matches

England striker Wayne Rooney's ban for the Euro 2012 Championship has been reduced to two matches from three after an appeal to Uefa in Switzerland.

He was punished after being sent off for kicking Miodrag Dzudovic during a 2-2 draw with Montenegro in October.
Rooney, 26, will now be available for England's third Group D game, against joint hosts Ukraine, but will miss the fixtures against France and Sweden.
The third match of his ban has been suspended for four years.
A Uefa spokesman told BBC Sport the third game ban would kick in only if he is sent off for violent conduct in another European Championship match.
"The ban applies only to national team competition governed by Uefa," said the spokesman.
Rooney has also agreed to do one day of community service with a Uefa project.
England manager Fabio Capello joined Rooney for the 90-minute hearing before a three-man appeals panel on Thursday morning.

Read More - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16064924.stm

Euro 2012: Wayne Rooney's place in England squad not assured, warns Fabio Capello

FABIO CAPELLO last night admitted he may leave Wayne Rooney out of his Euro 2012 squad if the striker's three-game ban is not reduced this week.
Capello will join the Man United hitman in Nyon on Thursday when the FA will urge UEFA to slash the suspension he picked up for a red card against Montenegro.
Unless UEFA show leniency, Rooney will miss the three Group D games against France, Sweden and Ukraine before being available for the knock-out phase of the tournament.
But while Capello had previously hinted he would select Rooney despite the suspension, the England manager is now apparently having second thoughts.

Read more - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/england/2011/12/05/euro-2012-wayne-rooney-s-place-in-england-squad-not-assured-warns-fabio-capello-86908-23611430/

Euro 2012: England manager Fabio Capello looking to get into the groove for another marathon European tour

By the passing year, England resemble more and more a rock band who were big in the Sixties, have enjoyed a couple of near smash hits since and are still on the road, desperately seeking to recapture the glory days.

The stadiums still sell out and the merchandising still shifts, while eagerly awaited dates are being finalised for the “Talking About My Golden Generation” European tour.

Some of the famous old band members have retired, replaced by stars in the making, young performers who are technically good but have yet to prove whether they can survive the physical and psychological rigours of a gruelling summer schedule.

England’s May and June itinerary certainly reads like a rock group’s mammoth tour: London, Marbella, London, Dublin, Krakow, Donetsk, Krakow, Kiev, Krakow, Donetsk, Krakow. If “Three Lions On A Tour” is well-received, extra shows could be added in Donetsk, Kiev or Warsaw, with a possible grand finale in Kiev in July. From Andalusia to the Carpathians, England are all over Europe.

Read More - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/8933266/Euro-2012-England-manager-Fabio-Capello-looking-to-get-into-the-groove-for-another-marathon-European-tour.html

FAI release details of Euro2012 ticketing

The Football Association has announced the ticket information for next year’s European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine. The draw for the group stages will take place on December 2nd in Kiev. Ireland are fourth seeds and the draw will determine our entry into one of four groups, A, B, C or D. Each of the four groups will play matches across two host venues in one of the host countries, either Poland or Ukraine; Group A will play matches in the Polish cities of Warsaw and Wroclaw, Group B will play matches in the Ukranian cities of Kharkiv and Lviv, Group C will play matches in the Polish cities of Poznan and Gdansk, Group D will play matches in Ukranian cities of Donetsk and Kiev. Depending on the venues drawn on December 2nd, the number of tickets allocated by UEFA for Irish supporters will range from between 6,000 and 10,000 per match.
Ticket allocations for Irish supporters
In order to distribute tickets fairly to supporters during the UEFA EURO 2012 championships, an FAI Fan Sales Portal will be set up on www.uefa.com from December 12th 2011 until February 29th 2012.

Read more - http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/sport/fai-release-details-of-euro2012-ticketing/

Ukraine to stop killing stray dogs before Euro 2012 football championship

Environment ministry tells mayors to build animal shelters after bowing to pressure from Naturewatch in UK.

Ukraine has bowed to pressure from western animal protection groups and called for an end to the killing of stray dogs before the Euro 2012 football championship takes place in the country next summer.
The environment ministry said on Thursday that it was urging all Ukraine's mayors to build animal shelters instead.
Thousands of stray dogs have been killed in Ukraine over the past year – often poisoned or injected with illegal substances in an effort to clear the streets before the championship takes place in June – outraging local and international animal protection groups.
"Today I am publicly turning to all city mayors – let us stop the deaths of those poor stray animals for half a year and build shelters together," Mykola Zlochevsky, the environment minister, told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The statement followed a meeting with representatives of Naturewatch, a British group campaigning against animal cruelty in Ukraine. "This is a fantastic victory for Ukraine, its citizens and its animals," John Ruane, the head of Naturewatch, said.

Read more - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/17/euro2012-ukraine-stops-killing-stray-dogs?newsfeed=true

Portugal heroes thrilled to be in finals

Miguel Veloso told UEFA.com that Portugal had realised their UEFA EURO 2012 dream after scoring in the 6-2 defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina that took them to their fifth straight continental finals.
A tremendous free-kick from Ronaldo and a superb shot from Nani put Portugal two up in Lisbon inside 24 minutes, but Zvezdjan Misimović's penalty moments before the break gave some hope to the visitors. Ronaldo doubled his account early in the second half and although, despite Senad Lulić's dismissal, Safet Sušić's men reduced arrears again when captain Emir Spahić scored, Hélder Postiga struck twice either side of Veloso's own free-kick to remove all doubts.
"Better than my goal was the performance from the team and the fact that we achieved our main goal," Veloso said, before discussing his strike. "That was my area. I asked Cristiano, he allowed me to take the free-kick and I managed to score
"But I want to emphasis that the most important thing was the attitude that we showed on the pitch," the 25-year-old added. "The key of this qualification was the unity of the squad, the staff, and our will, things that you could see today."

Read more - http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2012/matches/round=2000113/match=2008831/postmatch/quotes/index.html

England's Euro 2012 base a far cry from sleepy Rustenberg

BBC Radio 5 live chief football reporter Ian Dennis reports from Krakow in Poland, where England will be based for next summer's Uefa 2012 European Championship...

I am not sure whether it is a case of learning from previous mistakes, but the contrast from South Africa to Poland could not be any greater.

After the isolation and remote location of Rustenburg, where England were based for their ill-fated 2010 World Cup campaign, Fabio Capello's players will be situated in the heart of Krakow, a city-centre experience which will give them a real feel for Euro 2012.

Their charming, quaint boutique hotel is just 20 metres from the main square in Krakow.

Read More - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15634413.stm

European Championship - Vidic quitting Serbia 'morally wrong'

Nemanja Vidic has let himself and Serbia down by quitting international football at the peak of his powers, former national team coach Ilija Petkovic told Belgrade media.

Petkovic, who led Serbia and Montenegro to the 2006 World Cup when they played as a single nation, was quoted as saying that Vidic "has made a morally wrong decision".
"Honestly, I am stunned with Vidic's decision because he could have played on for Serbia for a long time and this is a poor gesture for a player of his stature," he said.
"There are things of which I don't want to remind Vidic, he should have taken a good look at himself in the mirror before he decided to walk away.
"That is a big decision for such a young man and he will have to look the people in their eyes when he returns to Serbia one day.

Read more - http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/27102011/58/european-championship-vidic-quitting-serbia-morally-wrong.html

FA Made To Wait For Rooney Report

UEFA has delayed giving the Football Association their written reasons for handing England striker Wayne Rooney a three-match international ban.

The FA said in a statement that it had been advised by Europe's governing body that the information may not be provided "for another week at a minimum".
Rooney was suspended after being sent off for assaulting Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovoic during England's final qualifier this month.
UEFA had been expected to give their reasons by Thursday this week but the FA must now wait longer before deciding whether to challenge the ban.
"Once the reasons are received, The FA will determine on any appeal after discussions with Fabio Capello and Wayne Rooney," read the FA statement.
Rooney stands to miss all three of England's group games at Euro 2012 if the ban is upheld.

Article source - http://news.sky.com/home/article/16096838

Terry row threatens to rip apart England ahead of Euro 2012 Championships

The John Terry race row is in danger of fracturing the England dressing room and presenting Fabio Capello with yet another major problem ahead of the  European Championship. 
The England manager may have lost Wayne Rooney for the three group games in Poland and Ukraine, and if Terry is charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand he will be looking for a new captain, possibly even a new centre half. 

But whatever the outcome of the FA inquiry into events at Loftus Road on Sunday, not to mention the police investigation, the situation will have an impact on Capello’s squad.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2053905/John-Terry-row-threatens-rip-apart-England.html#ixzz1byIcK6wF

Capello faces Euro 2012 squad dilemma

England will not have to wait long to find out what they have let themselves in for by qualifying for Euro 2012, as European champions and World Cup holders Spain come to Wembley next month.

The good news - and coach Fabio Capello and members of the Football Association hierarchy were correct to point this out - is that England qualified top of their group and unbeaten after Friday's tempestuous draw in Montenegro.

Yet this appeared a small mercy as Wayne Rooney once again proved he cannot be trusted to control his temper and England were given a good old-fashioned going over for 45 minutes before securing the point required.

England's task of turning themselves from convincing qualifiers to genuine contenders in Poland and Ukraine next summer was arduous enough before Rooney took a kick at Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovic and was rightly sent off by referee Wolfgang Stark.

Read More - http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/10/capellos_world_cup_squad_dilem.html

Trapattoni has several injury concerns

There are a number of injury concerns in the Republic Of Ireland soccer squad ahead of their upcoming Euro 2012 Qualifiers against Andorra and Armenia.
Paul McShane will play for the Hull City reserves tonight but is unlikely to travel to meet up with the international squad. He's been out of competitive action with a calf problem.
John O'Shea and Jonathan Walters are carrying knocks. Both played for their clubs in the English Premier League at the weekend.

Read more - http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1003/ireland_euro2012.html

Ukraine nearly ready for Euro 2012, says Platini

Ukraine is virtually ready for hosting the Euro 2012 European Football Championship, UEFA President Michel Platini said in Kharkiv on Monday.
"Ukraine is virtually ready for Euro 2012. There are no serious problems in preparing for Euro 2012. But there are many minor tasks and problems that need to be solved. The terminal, which I have opened today (the VIP-Terminal at Kharkiv International Airport), is fine, the stadium is beautiful. We will work on the issues of transport system and accommodation. As for other host cities, Lviv, for instance, still has no turf at the stadium, a runway is not ready in Donetsk [airport]. Two years ago we were still facing the issue, whether we can organize Euro 2012 in Ukraine. A year ago, we were deciding whether to leave four or two [host] cities. And today we have four cities, and we need to efficiently use the remaining time to prepare for the championship," Platini said at a briefing in Kharkiv.
The briefing took place at Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv. Before starting the briefing Platini scored two goals – the first time against Euro 2012 tournament director in Ukraine Markiyan Lubkivsky who acted as a goalkeeper, the second time against Football Federation of Ukraine President Hryhoriy Surkis.

Article source - http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/80612/

Euro 2012: Wayne Rooney battles to be fit for England's Montenegro tie

Fabio Capello faces an anxious wait to discover if Wayne Rooney will be fit to play in England's vital Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on 7 October.

The striker's hamstring injury forced him to miss Manchester United's draw at Stoke on Saturday, and he has also been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League game against FC Basel at Old Trafford.
"It's difficult to assess on hamstring injuries," said boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
England need a point from their final group match to guarantee qualification.
Ferguson added: "We hope to have him back quickly. He (has done) a bit of jogging but that's all."
Ferguson and his England counterpart Capello will hope Rooney is ready to return in United's home game with Norwich City on Saturday and then join up with his international colleagues for the clash in Podgorica.
Capello will be keen to have Rooney at his disposal after the striker's brilliant start to the season.
Ferguson, meanwhile, admitted that United's recent failure in the final stages of the Champions League against Barcelona in 2009 and at Wembley this year means this cannot be labelled "a golden period" for the club in Europe.
He said: "I think the Champions League is the best competition in the world now, better than the World Cup and the European Championship. It's fantastic.
"It's not a golden period for us because we have lost two finals but I do think we have been consistent in the Champions League. I think our form away from home has been outstanding and obviously we now hope we can do better and win it because that's the aim of this club all of the time."
Read more - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15067332.stm

Poland president Bronislaw Komorowski steps up security ahead of Euro 2012

Poland’s president has approved legislation stepping up security and banning most alcoholic beverages from mass events ahead of the 2012 European Championship.
The regulations signed by President Bronislaw Komorowski this week significantly extend prison terms and raise fines for breaches of the law during large-scale gatherings and represent a tightening of existing security measures. They come as the country tries to send a message that it will not tolerate the kind of violence that has plagued football matches in Poland in recent years.

The new law states that beverages sold in and around the stadiums during Euro 2012 matches can contain no more than 3.5 per cent of alcohol. Most beers in Poland have an alcohol level of four per cent or more.

A spokesman for the Polish organisers of Euro 2012 said Uefa is not planning for any alcohol to be sold in and around stadiums during matches.

The new legislation also bans hard packaging made of glass, metal or hard plastic in stadiums as a precaution against them being used as weapons. Knives and other sharp objects are forbidden, and spectators will not be allowed to cover their faces in the stadiums.

Other new provisions allow for rowdy fans to be tried in summary procedures from the stadium via a TV link to a court. Convicted hooligans will be given chips and will be submitted to electronic surveying.

Read more - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/european-championships-2012/8782802/Poland-president-Bronislaw-Komorowski-steps-up-security-ahead-of-Euro-2012.html

Pitfalls loom on the Euro 2012 run-in

High quality global journalism requires investment.
When Wales substitute Robert Earnshaw missed an open goal that would have levelled the score against England at Wembley in a crucial Euro 2012 qualifier earlier this month, punters who rely on short-priced “certainties” drew a big sigh of relief.
The spread betting firms had already done well, as England, at 2.2-2.4 on goal supremacy, were playing at home against a team 113 places below them in Fifa’s world ranking, and were heavily backed to make the less than generous goal and match performance spreads.
“We saw an awful lot of customers getting with England in Bulgaria on the Friday before at 0.9-1.1 goal supremacy [England won 3-0], and they came back to play up profits from that game,” says Andy Wright, football trader at Sporting Index.
The lack of goals in England’s 1-0 win against Wales proved to be a problem for the betting exchanges. “We saw £9.2m ($14.2m) traded on the game, and would have expected more if there had been more goals,” said Andy Lulham, Betfair spokesman.
Things have gone more to plan for spread betters eager to cash in on the wide gulf in talent at these early stages of the competition: Group A winners Germany put six goals past Austria, Italy won twice in five days to top Group B, and world champions Spain scored six goals without reply against minnow Liechtenstein to qualify for the finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Read more - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/55e337b8-e032-11e0-ba12-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Ym23YmGp

Slovakia coach Weiss takes charge at Slovan

Vladimír Weiss has been installed as coach of ŠK Slovan Bratislava following Karel Jarolím's departure, a post he will combine with his job of trying to lead Slovakia to UEFA EURO 2012.

Vladimír Weiss will combine his role as coach of Slovakia with the top job at ŠK Slovan Bratislava after Karel Jarolím left the club on Friday.
Weiss, 46, will be in charge of the Slovakian titleholders − who are in fourth place after three games of the new season − when they host FC Spartak Trnava on Sunday. He replaces Jarolím, who announced his departure following Slovan's 2-0 aggregate defeat by APOEL FC in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round this week.
As well as having club matters to focus on, Weiss is also preparing for Slovakia's friendly with Austria on Wednesday and a vital UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on 2 September. Ireland, Slovakia and Russia are level on 13 points at the top of Group B with four games remaining.

Article source http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1656752.html

Capello set to snub England's kids

Fabio Capello will ignore the temptation to experiment tonight when he names an experienced squad for Wednesday’s friendly with Holland.
Manchester United’s Phil Jones was included in Capello's provisional 30-man squad for the Wembley clash, but the 19-year-old defender is unlikely to make the final list.
The England boss will instead select a squad with an eye on next month’s crunch Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales, two matches which come to early for Jones.
Capello ranks the new Old Trafford man behind skipper John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jagielka, Michael Dawson and Gary Cahill – with the Spurs and Bolton men contesting the fourth and final cdentre-half slot.

Although the Italian is without the injured trio of Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott, he has Wayne Rooney available again after he was banned for the 2-2 draw with Switzerland in June.
Spurs striker Jermain Defoe and Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, who also missed the Swiss game through injury, will return and Liverpool’s Andy Carroll may also figure if fit.
Capello will name Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch, having been told they still want to be selected for national duty despite respectively expressing joint frustration in June for being subbed and kept on the bench.
First-choice keeper Joe Hart may give way to Robert Green at half-time, while Fulham’s uncapped keeper David Stockdale will also be included.
Capello is assessing young talent such as Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs, Manchester United’s Chris Smalling and Danny Welbeck, and Chelsea duo Josh McEachran and Daniel Sturridge, but isn’t expected to include them.
Probable squad: Hart, Green, Stockdale, Baines, Cahill, A Cole, G Johnson, Ferdinand, Jagielka, Terry, Walker, Barry, Carrick, Downing, Lampard, Milner, Parker, Young, Rooney, Defoe, Bent, Crouch, Carroll.


Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/England-squad-face-Holland-expected-selected-Fabio-Capello-with-eye-on-vital-Bulgaria-Wales-Euro-2012-qualifiers-article781656.html#ixzz1UGEyRGFE

Hiddink's Turkey hoping for happy returns

Guus Hiddink started his Turkey reign with a 3-0 win in Kazakhstan and, almost a year to the day later, will hope for a similar outcome when the teams meet again.

Having kicked off their UEFA EURO 2012 Group A campaign with a win in Kazakhstan, Guus Hiddink's Turkey will hope the rematch − a day shy of a year since their last meeting − has no unpleasant surprises in store.
• In the Dutchman's first competitive game as Turkey coach, Hiddink's side won 3-0 in Astana with Arda Turan (24) breaking the deadlock before Hamit Altıntop (26) let fly with a sumptuous 25-metre volley. Nihat Kahveci (76) completed the victory.
• Kazakhstan's record in three games against Turkey reads W0 D0 L3 (W0 D0 L1 in Turkey). The former Soviet Republic have yet to score against Turkey and have conceded an average of over four goals a game in their previous encounters.
• The two previous meetings between the nations came during qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup; Turkey beat Kazakhstan 4-0 in Istanbul on 9 October 2004 and won 6-0 in Almaty in the return fixture on 8 June the following year.
• Fatih Tekke scored twice in both games for Turkey.
• Kazakhstan and Turkey also met in qualifying for the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, with Turkey winning 1-0 at home but surprisingly going down 2-1 on their travels, when Vladimir Yakovlev fired the added-time winner.
• The only time that club sides from the two nations have faced each other was in the second qualifying round of the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League, when FC Tobol Kostanay held Galatasaray AŞ to a 1-1 draw at home before losing 2-0 away.http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/matches/season=2012/round=15171/match=2002118/prematch/background/index.html

Capello keen to deliver Euro 2012 trophy

Fabio Capello last night vowed to redeem his tattered reputation by ending England’s 46 years of failure at Euro 2012.
The Italian, who will end his career in football when he leaves the England job next July, admitted he felt a huge personal responsibility for the World Cup debacle. And Capello promised he will finish the job by creating an England side that earns true glory in Poland and Ukraine.
Capello, who has a job on Italian television lined up after England, said: “I think my last year will be very good. I hope so. I will try all I can do to make everything better.
“So I will study, I will prepare, I will focus. I hope that at the end of my career will be one trophy, that we will win a trophy.

“And I really think it can happen. When you are a winner, you want to win something. Nobody wants to lose.”
FA chiefs are convinced Capello has an extra determination to demonstrate he is a far better coach than seemed the case in South Africa, with Club England boss Adrian Bevington saying: “The key point is that we have a manager who is absolutely clear.
‘‘There are a lot of managers from a lot of leading nations who did not come out to Rio but Fabio has travelled the length of the world to show he is committed to this job.”

Shevchenko: I have no plans to retire

The stellar career of Andriy Shevchenko may be winding down, but the Ukraine captain remains firmly focused on the future. With UEFA EURO 2012 due to be held jointly between his homeland and Poland, the 34-year-old clearly has much to look forward to as well. The competition will be an emotional event for the prolific marksman, who is an icon in his native country thanks to an eye for goal that has yielded 45 international strikes. He has also registered 67 times in the UEFA Champions League, putting him third on the competition’s all-time list behind Raul and Filippo Inzaghi, and boasts an overall tally of 315 goals in 626 club games.

Now back with the team where he first made his name, Dynamo Kyiv, the former AC Milan and Chelsea forward spoke to FIFA.com about his career, how the game has changed and Ukraine’s chances at next summer’s European Championship. Before the interview had even begun, however, he was at pains to address recent rumours that he will retire after the continental showcase: “I never said I’m going to stop playing after 2012.”

FIFA.com: Andriy, how long do you plan to continue playing?
Andriy Shevchenko: I feel good, still young, the motivation is still there and I think I’ll carry on. Of course, the day will come when I have to hang up my boots, but for now I don’t know when I’ll retire. I scored quite a few goals again last season. My short-term objective is the upcoming EURO.

Uefa backing for Euro 2012

Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino has insisted there are no longer any concerns remaining over the preparations for Euro 2012.

Ukraine will co-host the tournament with neighbouring Poland but doubts were raised by Uefa president Michel Platini when he visited the host cities early last year.
Platini questioned their preparation and announced they may be stripped of the position if they could not start hitting targets.
Kiev's Olimpiyskiy stadium, which is being renovated and updated, and Lviv emerged as the main talking points after Platini's visit last April.
But at a press conference marking one year to go until the opening game of the tournament, Infantino said: "It is impressive what is going on in Ukraine.
"There are many milestones but we are now on the final straight and have achieved much in Poland and Ukraine.

UEFA EURO 2012 tickets – WARNING

Applications for UEFA EURO 2012 final tournament tickets are now closed. You will receive an email before the end of April informing whether or not your application has been successful. Please read the warning below regarding payment.
The application period for UEFA EURO 2012 final tournament tickets is now closed.
The applications have been gathered and a lottery, supervised by a notary, has been conducted where demand has exceeded supply for a particular match and category as well as for Venue Series or Follow My Team tickets.
You will receive an email before the end of April informing whether or not your ticket application has been successful.
You can review your application in the ticket portal.
If you have not submitted an application or are not successful in the lottery, you may be able to purchase tickets at a later stage. You can still create an account using the ticket portal to be notified via email if tickets become available again.

Champion athlete Szewińska leads new trio of Friends

Irena Szewińska, winner of three Olympic gold medals, has joined actress Anna Dymna and rock frontman Grzegorz Markowski as Poland's latest Friends of UEFA EURO 2012.

 

Three-time Olympic champion athlete Irena Szewińska, actress Anna Dymna and the frontman of rock band Perfect, Grzegorz Markowski, have been unveiled as Poland's latest Friends of UEFA EURO 2012.
The trio were presented by Polish tournament director Adam Olkowicz and join the list which will eventually total 100 in the co-host nation – half of them public figures, with the remaining spots open to the general public via competitions for people of all ages.
Szewińska was one of the world's foremost athletes for nearly two decades and competed in a variety of events. She participated in five Olympics between 1964 and 1980, winning three gold medals and making the podium seven times overall. The 64-year-old also broke six world records and is the only athlete (male or female) to have held the global mark in the 100m, 200m and 400m events.
She also found time to develop a passion for football. "It is a big honour for me to become a Friend of EURO," said Szewińska. "I was always a big fan of the Polish national team and believe that Franciszek Smuda's side will achieve great things at UEFA EURO 2012."
Anna Dymna, meanwhile, is a Polish television, film and theatre actress, who also founded the charity Mimo Wszystko (Against the Odds). "Football is a great spectacle, raising extreme emotions," she said. "I envy the players a bit. An actor would never perform in front of so many spectators and will never go through such experiences."

Rock star Grzegorz Markowski added: "It is a big chance for all Poles to show the best of ourselves. I am sure it will be a great event."

UEFA EURO 2012: The story so far

Fifty-one teams set off on the road to Poland and Ukraine late last summer and it is no surprise to see holders and world champions Spain on maximum points along with Germany and the Netherlands. Italy and Greece remain unbeaten after five games while Slovakia are flying high as they bid to reach their first UEFA European Football Championship.

Group AGermany's 4-0 home win against Kazakhstan last Saturday was their fifth of the campaign and featured Miroslav Klose's seventh and eighth goals so far. Back-to-back victories for Belgium in Austria and at home to Azerbaijan have taken them second in the section, while third-placed Turkey's 2-0 home success over the Austrians on Tuesday ended a run of two defeats and boosted their qualification hopes.

Group BSlovakia, Russia and the Republic of Ireland are level on ten points in pole position. Dick Advocaat's side were held to a goalless draw at fourth-ranked Armenia at the weekend, when Aiden McGeady's first international goal and Robbie Keane's 46th helped the Irish to a 2-1 home victory against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. A 1-0 win for Slovakia in Andorra kept Vladimír Weiss's team top.

Group CItaly's 0-0 draw in Northern Ireland in October remains their only blemish after Thiago Motta's debut goal against Slovenia last Friday established a five-point lead for the Azzurri. Slovenia's victories home and away to the Faroe Islands are still their only wins after they failed, in Tuesday's stalemate, to avenge an earlier 1-0 home defeat by Northern Ireland. Estonia are winless since a 3-1 autumn triumph in Serbia while the Serbians made up ground by coming from behind to beat Northern Ireland at home and drawing in Tallinn.

Group DLaurent Blanc's France have opened a four-point gap over second-placed Belarus, who are the only team to have taken points off Les Bleus – Sergei Kislyak's late strike the only goal at the Stade de France in September. All of France's four qualifying victories have come by 2-0 while surprise package Belarus suffered their first loss, and conceded their only goal, in Saturday's 1-0 reverse in Albania. Adrian Mutu's first Romania goals since 2008 helped overturn a 1-0 deficit against Luxembourg and record a first success for Răzvan Lucescu's side.

Group EThe Netherlands look unstoppable, averaging 3.5 goals a game during a six-match winning streak that includes back-to-back victories against Hungary and October's 4-1 win against Sweden in Amsterdam. Erik Hamrén's men have responded well to that defeat, however. On Tuesday, the Swedes saw off Moldova to leapfrog Hungary into second place, despite having played two games fewer than their nearest rivals.

Group FGreece stayed unbeaten and top the pile after Vassilis Torossidis's stoppage-time winner earned Fernando Santos's charges all three points from Saturday's trip to Malta. Croatia are also firmly in contention despite sustaining their first loss last Saturday at a resurgent Georgia, who sit fourth on nine points, two off the leaders. Israel's impressive home form has enabled them to join the Croatians on ten points, albeit having played a game more.

Group GRecently appointed Gary Speed made the worst possible start as Wales boss by losing 2-0 at home to neighbours England, who now have ten points from a possible 12. Montenegro, in second, boast an identical record and are the only team in qualifying yet to ship a goal. Switzerland and Bulgaria, in third and fourth, face an uphill battle after only one win apiece – both against Wales. Saturday's 0-0 draw between the sides in Sofia did neither any favours.

Group HEgil Olsen guided Norway to their first FIFA World Cups during his first spell, and the 68-year-old is proving a success second time around as well. Victories against Iceland, Portugal and Cyprus, and a hard-earned draw with Denmark, courtesy of Erik Huseklepp's equaliser, have put them top of the section. Portugal responded to taking one point from their first two qualifiers by beating the Danes and then Iceland to go second on seven points, level with Denmark.

Group I World and European champions Spain show no signs of letting up with five wins from five, although Vicente del Bosque's team were pushed to the limit by Scotland in Glasgow and Lithuania in Kaunas, requiring late goals in each match. The Czech Republic bounced back from a home loss to Lithuania at the onset of the campaign to register nine points from the next 12 and climb into the play-off place.

Ticket prices for UEFA EURO 2012 announced

Prices for UEFA EURO 2012 tickets will range from €30 to €600 and several ticket types will be available for purchase via UEFA.com exclusively from 1 March to 31 March this year.

 

UEFA today announced the ticket prices for the final tournament of the UEFA European Football Championship to be held in Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July 2012.
Prices will range from €30 to €600 and several types of tickets will be available for purchase via UEFA.com exclusively from 1 March to 31 March this year.
UEFA, the Polish and Ukrainian football federations and the local organising committees have put in place a transparent and fair ticketing policy with the aim of offering affordable prices for all 31 matches of UEFA EURO 2012.

The purchasing power of local citizens has been taken into account when deciding on prices and the cheapest tickets will cost 50% less than at UEFA EURO 2008 in Austria/Switzerland. Furthermore, tickets for the final in category 3 will cost €50 only.
The table below lists the ticketing prices for all games in the competition in the three available categories.
• Opening match
Category 1 €250 Category 2 €140 Category 3 €45
• Group matches
Category 1 €120 Category 2 €70 Category 3 €30
• Quarter-finals
Category 1 €150 Category 2 €80 Category 3 €40
• Semi-finals
Category 1 €270 Category 2 €150 Category 3 €45
• Final
Category 1 €600 Category 2 €330 Category 3 €50
All prices are in euros and are subject to an additional administrative fee to cover handling and secure courier delivery.
As was already communicated at the beginning of February, residents of Poland and Ukraine will also be able to pay in their local currency, either via credit card or by domestic bank transfer, whereas international applicants will need to pay via credit car and in euros.
There are several types of tickets available: individual match tickets, venue series group or knockout, and follow my team group or knockout. Further details on the types of tickets available can be found in the ticketing section of UEFA.com.
Tickets for the general public will be sold only from 1 March to 31 March this year via UEFA.com exclusively.

UEFA EURO 2012: The story so far

Spain, Germany and the Netherlands have maximum points in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying but the biggest surprises so far are the blistering starts made by Norway and Montenegro.

 

Fifty one teams set off on the road to Poland and Ukraine in the late summer and it is no surprise to see holders and world champions Spain on maximum points along with Germany and the Netherlands. Russia and Norway, revived by Egil Olsen, have also made a perfect start, while Montenegro have been hugely impressive in their debut campaign.

Group AGermany's four wins included a 3-0 against Turkey in Berlin which featured two of Miroslav Klose's six goals so far. Worse was to follow for Turkey four days later with a 1-0 defeat in Azerbaijan that coach Guus Hiddink described as "one of the worst days of my career". Austria sit second after maintaining their unbeaten start with a 4-4 draw in Belgium on 12 October, Martin Harnik equalising in the 93rd minute.

Group BDick Advocaat's Russia top the section thanks to three away victories, the most recent an impressive 3-2 success against the Republic of Ireland, Aleksandr Kerzhakov, Alan Dzagoev and Roman Shirokov securing a three-goal lead before Ireland's belated response. The Russians lost their only home game, 1-0 against Slovakia in September, yet Vladimír Weiss's team subsequently lost 3-1 in Armenia and lie fourth after a 1-1 home draw with the second-placed Irish.

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UEFA EURO 2012 Tickets Will Be Affordable To Ukrainians

Kolesnikov recommended to fans, who discuss the topic of prices on the Internet forums, not to scare each other with possible price rates. As reported, UEFA softened conditions of the previous agreement regarding marketing recommendations to the Ukrainian cities that will host matches of EURO 2012.  In particular, the new version of the agreements provides for the allocation of funds for advertising the UEFA tournament and preparation of the fan zone, as well as benefits for tickets to the matches in host cities.