Thaindian News

Tbilisi (Georgia), May 26 (IANS) Georgia welcomed Azerbaijan’s decision to join it in jointly bidding for the 2020 European Football Championship.

“Joint bid will ease efforts to overcome challenges related with infrastructure, stadiums and hotels,” said Zviad Sitchinava, president of the Georgian Football Federation.

Azerbaijan announcde its intent to bid for Euro 2020 after it was eliminated from the initial stage Wednesday for application for hosting the 2020 Olympic Games.

Azerbaijan’s bid will be accommodated since UEFA, the governing body of the sport of football in Europe, has extended the deadline for bidding.

Azerbaijan said it would jointly bid with its neighbour Georgia.

Rovnag Abdullayev, president of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, Friday was quoted as saying by Xinhua: “Budapest hosts the FIFA congress today. Our secretary-general is there and we put in a bid with Georgia to host Euro 2020.”

Georgia May 14 submitted its intention for bidding on its own, after Azerbaijan stayed away to concentrate on its bidding for the Olympics.

UEFA will vote to decide upon the host from among the bidders in late 2013 or early 2014.

Zviad Sitchinava earlier said that five towns in Georgia are currently under consideration for staging the Euro 2020 matches and they are Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and two other towns yet to be named.

The federation president told the media that UEFA requires 12 stadia and 24 living bases for the 2020 European Football Championship, popularly known as Euro 2020.

Belgium and the Netherlands were the first co-hosts for the 2000 Euros.

Austria and Switzerland jointly played hosts to Euro 2008 and this year Poland and Ukraine will co-host the European championship.