EURO 2012 STADIUM

Euro 2012 venue guide: The eight stadiums in Poland and Ukraine

UKRAINE

KIEV - Olympic Stadium, 60,000

Ukraine's national stadium - and the championship's biggest venue - is undergoing a spectacular makeover, which will include a transparent roof, to prepare it for group-stage matches, a quarter-final and the final.

Dynamo Kiev played European games there prior to closure for renovation.

Kiev, on the banks of the Dnieper river, is Ukraine's capital and largest city.

GROUP STAGE
Monday, June 11 - Ukraine v Sweden (1945)
Friday, June 15 - Sweden v England (1700)
Tuesday, June 19 - Sweden v France (1945)

QUARTER-FINAL
Sunday, June 24 - Winner D v Runner-up C (1945)

FINAL
Sunday, July 1 - Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 (1945).

Kiev: Olympic Stadium

LVIV - New Lviv Stadium, 30,000

As its current name suggests, FC Karpaty Lviv's gleaming new home has been built from scratch for the championship. Naming rights are to be sold in due course.

The western city of Lviv, close to the Carpathian mountains, was once part of Poland and was the birthplace of the Polish Football Federation.

GROUP STAGE
Saturday, June 9: Germany v Portugal (1945)
Wednesday, June 13: Denmark v Portugal (1700)
Sunday, June 17: Denmark v Germany (1945)

Lviv: New Lviv Stadium

KHARKIV - Metalist Stadium, 30,000

Having produced more than 40 Olympic medallists, Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, claims to be its sporting capital.

The stadium, built in 1926, is home to Metalist Kharkiv and has been remodelled as a multi-sport complex.

It is known locally as the 'Spider Arena' as its pillars make it resemble an arachnid.

GROUP STAGE:
Saturday, June 9: Holland v Denmark (1700)
Wednesday, June 13: Holland v Germany (1945)
Sunday, June 17: Portugal v Holland (1945)

Kharhiv: Metalist Stadium

DONETSK - Donbass Arena, 50,000

The ultra-modern arena, built at a cost of £255million and completed in 2009, will host three group games, a quarter-final and a semi.

Among its impressive features, the home of Shakhtar Donetsk features an illuminated exterior and infrared heating system. It is situated in parkland in the centre of the city.

GROUP STAGE:
Monday, June 11: France v England (1700)
Friday, June 15: Ukraine v France (1945)
Tuesday, June 19: England v Ukraine (1945)
QUARTER-FINAL
Saturday, June 23: Winner C v Runner-up D (1945)
SEMI-FINAL
Wednesday, June 27: Winner QF1 v Winner QF3 (1945)

Donetsk: Donbass Arena

 

POLAND

WARSAW - National Stadium, capacity (for Euro 2012): 50,000

Euro 2012 will open at Poland's new National Stadium, which has been built with £255million of government money on the site of the old 10th Anniversary Stadium.

Close to the Vistula river, it resembles a wicker basket decorated in a waving Polish flag. Warsaw, despite a turbulent history, is a thriving capital and home to 1.7million people.

Legia Warsaw and Polonia Warsaw are expected to play their most prestigious matches at the stadium but it will not be their permanent home.

GROUP STAGE
Friday, June 8 - Poland v Greece (1700)
Tuesday, June 12 - Poland v Russia (1945)
Saturday, June 16: Greece v Russia (1945)
QUARTER-FINAL
Thursday, June 21 - Winner A v Runner-up B (1945)
SEMI-FINAL
Thursday, June 28 - Winner QF2 v Winner QF4 (1945)

Warsaw: The National Stadium

GDANSK - PGE Arena, 40,000

A city that has had several different rulers, Gdansk has played a big role in European history, not least as the birthplace of former Polish president Lech Walesa's Solidarity movement.

The Municipal Stadium, home of Lechia Gdansk, is another new venue striking in appearance and is close to the city's waterfront.

GROUP STAGE
Sunday, June 10 - Spain v Italy (1700)
Thursday, June 14 - Spain v Republic of Ireland (1945)
Monday, June 18 - Croatia v Spain (1945)
QUARTER-FINAL
Friday, June 22 - Winner B v Runner-up A (1945)

Gdansk: The PGE Arena

POZNAN - City Stadium, 40,000

The home of KKS Lech Poznan and Warta Poznan, built in 1980, is being renovated ahead of the championship. A venue renowned for its atmosphere, it will be Poland's biggest club ground when complete.

Poznan itself, one of the country's oldest cities, was once an island colony on the River Warta before spilling onto the mainland and becoming a major trade centre.

GROUP STAGE
Sunday, June 10 - Republic of Ireland v Croatia (1945)
Thursday, June 14 - Italy v Croatia (1700)
Monday, June 18 - Italy v Republic of Ireland (1945)

Poznan: City Stadium

WROCLAW - Municipal Stadium, 40,000

Wroclaw, noted for its Gothic architecture, is a thriving commercial centre built on 12 islands all connected by a web of 112 bridges.

The new stadium, for which naming rights will be offered, is situated close to the Sleza river and is home to Slask Wroclaw. Its design resembles a Chinese lantern.

GROUP STAGE
Friday, June 8 - Russia v Czech Republic (1945)
Tuesday, June 12 - Greece v Czech Republic (1700)
Saturday, June 16 - Czech Republic v Poland (1945)

Wroclaw: Municipal Stadium