SHARE
COPY LINK

EURO 2016

Sweden handed Russian test in Euro 2016 draw

Sweden will have to contend with Russia and Austria if they are reach the Euro 2016 tournament after the draw for the qualifying rounds for the finals was made on Sunday.

Sweden handed Russian test in Euro 2016 draw
Erik Hamrén's side were drawn in Group G along with Russia, Austria, Montenegro, Moldova and Liechtenstein. Sweden will be familiar with Russia after meeting them in the group stage at Euro 2008 while they also have previous with Austria, having faced them twice in qualifiers for World Cup 2014.
 
The Swedes have qualified for the last four European Championship finals but have only got beyond the group stage once, back in 2004. Sweden, known as the Blågult (blue-yellow), reached the semi finals of Euro 92 when it was held on home turf.
 
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the finals in France along with the best third-placed side while the remaining eight third-placed teams will play off in November 2015 for the final four berths.
 
The first qualifiers will be played on September 7 and the campaign will see matches spread over six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, during every international break in a format that UEFA have championed as the 'Week of Football.' 
 
As for the tournament itself, it will run from June 10 to July 10, 2016 as has been expanded to 24 teams for the first time in its history.  

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

EURO 2016

Euro 2016 gave France billion euro boost to struggling economy

Hosting the Euro 2016 football tournament cost France less than €200 million ($211 million) but brought some €1.22 billion into the country, according to figures released by the ministry of sports Tuesday.

Euro 2016 gave France billion euro boost to struggling economy
Photo:AFP

There was controversy over the public funds poured into the tournament, with some 24 million euros — double the expected cost — spent on security in light of an increased terrorist threat.

The state spent a further 160 million euros on building and renovating venues for the June and July event, while private funds and tournament organiser UEFA covered the remaining costs.

But Euro 2016 brought 1.221 billion euros into the country both in tourism and spending directly related to the organisation of the tournament, according to data compiled by the Centre of the Law and Economics of Sport at Limoges University (CDES) and the consultancy firm Keneo.

In calculating the figures, researchers took into account the loss from potential tourists who would have stayed away from France to avoid the tournament, as well as the state funds which could have been used elsewhere had they not been set aside for venues.

The average tournament visitor spent 154 euros a day, with most of that going on accommodation and eating out, the study said, with tourism providing a 625.8 million euro boost to the country.

UEFA spent some 360 million euros on organising the tournament in the country, while 24 participating teams gave the economy a 34.9 million euro boost.

Accredited persons for the event spent 34.8 million euros while in the country, and sponsors 22.6 million euros, according to the figures.

Last January the CDES predicted Euro 2017 would bring in 1.266 billion euros in additional expenditure, or 0.1 percent of France's GDP.

SHOW COMMENTS