The eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk opened with much pomp a newly-built 50,000-seater stadium on Saturday, as its hopes to host Euro-2012 football tournament run up against UEFA experts’ skepticism.
“Today it is the best stadium in Ukraine and, I do not doubt, the best stadium in Europe,” Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko told the audience at the opening.
“Euro-2012 will take place here. I’m sure that Donbass (Donetsk region) will suitably meet the guests of Ukraine,” he added.
The construction of the magnificent Donbass Arena stadium cost an estimated 400 million dollars and was funded by Ukraine’s richest man Rinat Akhmetov, owner of the local team Shakhtar that won the UEFA Cup last season.