Kiev Prepares for Euro 2012 Kick Off

With the UEFA Euro 2012 football championship just around the corner, Kiev is preparing its city for the tournament, which will kick off on June 8 in Warsaw. Poland and Ukraine are sharing hosting duties this year, with Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk, and Kharkiv all hosting matches in Ukraine. Kievs own Olympic Stadium will host 3 matches in the group stage, with England, Ukraine, France, and Sweden fighting for dominance in Group D. Kiev will also host one quarter-final match, and the final on 1 July.

The city has also prepared a special fan zone in the city centre for up to 90 000 people. Located on Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square, Khreshchatyk Street and Bogdana Khmelnitskoho Street, the official fan zone will include several large screens screening live feeds of Euro games. There are also places to grab some local food and a drink. Getting to the Olympic Stadium is a breeze as well, with several public transportation connections available, not to mention the fact that many streets in the centre will be closed down to traffic, allowing for easy walks to and from the stadium and fan zone.