Kiev, Warsaw and Donetsk to host 5 games as UEFA finalizes Euro 2012 match schedule

UEFA finalizes schedule for Euro 2012

MINSK, Belarus — European soccer’s governing body finalized the schedule for the 2012 European Championship on Monday, seemingly relieving fears that all eight venue cities would not be ready to host games.

The Ukrainian capita of Kiev was confirmed as the venue of the final by the Union of European Football Associations. It also will host a quarterfinal and three first-round matches.

Warsaw and Donetsk also will host five matches: three first-round matches, a quarterfinals and a semifinal — after the schedule was approved at a UEFA executive committee meeting in Minsk.

Gdansk will hold four matches, including a quarterfinal. The remaining four cities — Wroclaw, Poznan, Kharkiv and Lviv — are scheduled to host three games each.

Ukraine will host 16 of the 31 matches in the tournament, which opens on June 8, 2012.

Ukraine’s preparations for Euro 2012 have been hindered by delays in the building of stadiums, roads and hotels, although UEFA said in August after a two-day inspection visit that authorities were on track to meet deadlines.