Ukraine and Poland to Host Euro 2012

By: Bob | April 18th, 2007

Wroclaw, Dnipropetrovs, Kharkiv….the names just roll of the tongue. Those are just a few of the host cities for the 2010 European Championship. It was announced Wednesday that Poland and Ukraine will host the party, much to the dismay of Italy, and Croatia-Hungary.

I honestly expected that I would be writing today about Italy winning the bid and how absurd it is for UEFA to reward a country for match fixing scandals and crowd violence. For once the powers that be got it right. Italy is a fine country with an excellent football history, but it didn’t need UEFA sending the message that everything is okay. Everything is not okay there and until it is the country shouldn’t host a major international tournament.

Things are not okay in Poland and Ukraine either. Poland has had its own share of match fixing and its chainsaw wielding hooligans are legendary. Ukraine is a political mess and that filters down to its football association. Corruption is an issue in both countries. This was certainly not a perfect pick but given the choices it was probably the right one. I can also personally recommend visiting both countries. I’ve had a blast in both of them.

Italian fans can at least take solace in knowing that their team is once again ranked number one. Croatia and Hungary fans can at least take solace in knowing that they have a nifty video they can use again in their 2016 Euro bid. We can all take solace in knowing that UEFA doesn’t have its head up its ass. At least not all of the time.

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Category: Europe, World Football

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Al

Well- being used for citizenship by the daughter of a famous Polish striker, I may be bias BUT. There is not one single stadia available in EITHER country right now. All this anti-Italian rubbish sounds like an outsider perspective. Hate Italy, at least they have stadiums. If not, then England, Spain, Holland, etc.... . A country where the childhood television star steps down only to put his Borak BROTHER in charge. Ukraine is a political mess at the minute, etc. Does this really make any sense?
The Count

I visited Wroclaw in 1992 on a student exchange. If my experience is anything to go by then the Poles will be first class hosts.
Sam

Meh... I really didn't expect this, but hey, it'll be something.
Greg

Regardless of who was in charge, Italy would not have won the right to host. The choice, politically speaking, was the correct one. I
Ian

I think Platini had already decided not to give it to Italy (a good choice, I think) - but the other two options were pretty much equally mediocre. Oh well. I think I'd rather travel to Poland and Ukraine than Croatia and Hungary. Ukraine is strong!
ana

Well this is going to be an interesting travel experience.
Nick

Nice to see Italian football get screwed - and hopefully get the message that their messed up system has to be fixed.
Phil

It just goes to show that Platini is running the show. The old regime would have handed it to Italy. He is serious about changing the way things are run. Now it will be up to Ukraine and Poland to upgrade their stadiums and infrastructure so that it can be a safe, well run tournament.
Chris

Great quote from Kazimierz Oleszek, the spokesman for the Polish national team, 'It's a dream come true, we did not expect such a positive result. It is a big surprise given that we don't have proper stadiums, proper road systems, good hotels and so on.'

And all the people who could fix those things have moved to England since Poland joined the EU. Should be an interesting tournament.