UEFA Praises Azerbaijan’s Professionalism in Hosting Euro-2020 Games

A UEFA executive addressed a letter of gratitude to Azerbaijan Football Federations Association (AFFA) for holding four games of the Euro 2020 football (soccer) championship at the highest level of professionalism and hospitality.

“Congratulations for delivering four excellent matches in Baku, it is an incredible achievement!” Martin Kallen, CEO at UEFA Events SA sports association, wrote in the letter.

“I would like to thank each and every one of you for the efforts that you have put into the EURO project. You have demonstrated what can be achieved if dedicated and motivated people work together as a team and have the same goals and ambitions.”

Kellen further added that he has personally experienced the great atmosphere created at the 68,700-seat Baku Olympic Stadium and the high standards of professionalism of the stadium staff. According to him, the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic did not affect the high-level organization of the games.

Four matches of Euro 2020 took place at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan’s capital city. Three group games were held on June 12, 16, and 20, while a quarter-final match took place on July 3.

The 2020 UEFA European Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2020, is the ultimate football championship of national teams in Europe. The tournament was initially scheduled to take place from June 12 - July 12, 2020, in twelve cities, including Azerbaijan’s capital Baku. However, on March 17, 2020, UEFA postponed the tournament for a year amidst the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The Executive Committee of UEFA announced last year’s June that the tournament would take place from June 11 to July 11, 2021. Azerbaijan, Russia, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, Romania, England, Scotland, Spain, Germany, and Hungary have been chosen as the host nations of the tournament’s games.