EURO 2012 opening ceremony details unveiled

The opening ceremony of UEFA EURO 2012 will be held at the National Stadium in Warsaw on 8 June. The performance will start 20 minutes before kick-off of the tournament’s opening match between Poland and Greece and offer an unforgettable curtain-raiser to three weeks of a celebration of national team football in Poland and Ukraine.

The concept for the UEFA EURO 2012 opening ceremony has been developed by Marco Balich, creative director and executive producer of Italian events and ceremonies company Filmmaster Events. Marco Balich has amongst other created the opening and closing ceremonies of the Turin Olympics in 2006 and is also known in Ukraine, having produced the opening ceremony of the Donbass Arena in Donetsk in 2009.

The 12-minute show will combine heritage and innovation, to bring sport and culture together and mark the start of a historical event, the first UEFA European Football Championship to be staged in central and east Europe. It will also promote the participating nations together with key UEFA EURO values: unity, rivalry and passion.

Renowned Hungarian classical pianist Adam Gyorgy who recently celebrated his 30th birthday with a sold out concert at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, will perform a Chopin ‘‘Étude’ in a minor (Op.25 Nr.11) as part of the ceremony, to bring the pure classical tradition of Chopin into a sport environment. Adam Gyorgy is no stranger to football, being a major fan himself, and practising football as his daily routine. He was previously a member of the Hungarian national futsal team.

The opening ceremony will include mass choreographies involving more than 800 volunteer performers, coming from as many as 63 countries around the world.

More than 150 million live viewers are expected to watch the opening match and its ceremony.

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High-speed trains fast-track transport in Ukraine

Journey times in Ukraine have been slashed by a quarter after the completion of extensive rail improvements.
High-speed trains capable of reaching 160km/h are now in operation between all four of the country's UEFA EURO 2012 venues – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Lviv – as well as Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa. The journey between Kyiv and Lviv, for example, has been cut from six and a half hours to under five, while the once six-hour slog from Kyiv to Kharkiv is down to four and a half. There will be at least one speed train per day, two from Kyiv to Kharkiv.

Ukrainian UEFA EURO 2012 tournament director Markiyan Lubkivskiy said: "Ukraine has undergone significant changes in preparation for the European Championship. There are four new stadiums, four renovated airports, and the road infrastructure has improved within and between the host cities. The rail network has been reconstructed and the new fast trains will provide the best service for our citizens and visitors."
Martin Kallen, UEFA's operations director, added: "It's our biggest tournament yet in terms of territory and the distance between host cities is huge – transport will play a crucial role in the event's success. These fast trains will link EURO 2012 host cities and offer fans a quick, comfortable trip from one city to another at a reasonable price."
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Hyundai-Kia unveil UEFA EURO 2012 fleet

Hyundai-Kia have handed over the keys to the fleet of vehicles which will transport teams, guests and officials at UEFA EURO 2012, including the 16 team coaches.

A total of 366 Hyundai vehicles and over 350 more from sister company Kia will be deployed in Poland and Ukraine, with Hyundai Motor Europe president Terry Im delighted to be involved. "Football conveys dynamism, excitement and passion," he said. "These are precisely the emotions that Hyundai wants to share with our customers." Benny Oeyen, marketing vice president of Kia Motors Europe, explained: "Kia Motors is a proud supporter of football and we are excited to play an integral role in the successful coordination of EURO 2012."

"With only 23 days to go before the tournament begins, the vehicle handover is a key milestone in the preparation for UEFA EURO 2012," added Guy-Laurent Epstein, marketing director of UEFA Events SA. "Recognised as a leading global manufacturer of stylish, reliable and comfortable vehicles, Hyundai will contribute to the tournament organization by providing teams, officials, and guests with high quality transportation."

The UEFA EURO 2012 fleet will include Hyundai models Equus, Genesis, ix55, Santa Fe, ix35, i40, Sonata, Elantra and the new-generation i30 cars as well as more than 200 H1 vans. Kia will showcase the all-new cee'd, Rio and Sportage models, which are among the top selling cars in Europe, as well as its D-segment sedans, Cadenza and Optima Hybrid, which have not yet been introduced to European customers.

Hyundai-Kia are the official automotive sponsors of UEFA EURO 2012, and have been UEFA European Championship sponsors since the 2000 tournament. The company will also be sponsors of the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

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Olsen leaves three spaces in Denmark party

Morten Olsen has confirmed 20 of the Denmark players he will take to UEFA EURO 2012, with three further call-ups to be announced by 24 May at the latest.

Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Évian Thonon Gaillard FC midfielder Thomas Kahlenberg, who has not been involved with the national team since autumn 2010. "He has played many games recently, and we have seen them all," said Olsen. "He may not be a fast player, but he is a fast-thinking player, and he can be a good asset at the tournament."

In addition to the 20 definite names, Manchester United FC goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim defender Jannik Vestergaard and FC Groningen forward Nicklas Pedersen have also been invited to join Denmark's training camp. The hopeful trio, though, are not assured of making up the remainder of the final squad next week. "I am at least going to watch the games this coming weekend before I decide," said Olsen.

Denmark face Brazil on 26 May and Australia on 2 June in their two pre-finals friendlies. Seven days later they meet the Netherlands in their opening Group B match in Kharkiv before switching to Lviv to play Portugal and Germany.

Denmark squad
Goalkeepers: Thomas Sørensen (Stoke City FC), Stephan Andersen (Évian Thonon Gaillard FC).

Defenders: Lars Jacobsen (FC København), Daniel Wass (Évian Thonon Gaillard FC), Daniel Agger (Liverpool FC), Simon Kjær (AS Roma), Andreas Bjelland (FC Nordsjælland), Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar).

Midifelders: Christian Poulsen (Évian Thonon Gaillard FC), Jakob Poulsen (FC Midtjylland), William Kvist (1. FC Nürnberg), Niki Zimling (Club Brugge KV), Thomas Kahlenberg (Évian Thonon Gaillard FC), Christian Eriksen (AFC Ajax), Michael Silberbauer (BSC Young Boys), Lasse Schøne (NEC Nijmegen).

Forwards: Dennis Rommedahl (Brøndby IF), Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland AFC), Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brøndby IF), Tobias Mikkelsen (FC Nordsjælland).

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Uncapped duo in, Ferdinand out for England

New England manager Roy Hodgson has included uncapped midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and goalkeeper John Ruddy in his 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2012, but there is no room for Rio Ferdinand.

Hodgson – the long-term successor to Fabio Capello, who resigned in February – took up the England role full time this week after his last game in charge of West Bromwich Albion FC.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, has impressed in his first season at Arsenal FC, including becoming the youngest Englishman to score in the UEFA Champions League, while Ruddy will provide back-up for Joe Hart along with Robert Green.

Euro 2012 England squad

Ferdinand, meanwhile, has not played for England this season due to injury and John Terry, Gary Cahill and Joleon Lescott have been preferred in central defence. In midfield, regular starter Scott Parker has been struggling with an Achilles problem but is included. Right-back Kyle Walker is ruled out with a toe problem, joining Jack Wilshire and Chris Smalling on the sidelines. Steven Gerrard has been named captain.

"It has not been an easy squad to put together but I am pleased with the outcome," Hodgson said. "John Ruddy has had an excellent season at Norwich. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has had a big impression on me, particular versus Milan.

"Andy Carroll is a different type of player. He is good in the air, he can hold the ball up and get inbehind. I gave an awful lot of thought to me strikers. I'm hoping the balance of the squad can be maintained by using [Theo] Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and [Ashley] Young."

Prior to leaving for the finals, England play Norway in Oslo on 26 May then welcome Belgium to Wembley on 2 June. Nine days later they kick off UEFA EURO 2012 Group D against France in Donetsk, where they return to face co-hosts Ukraine after a trip to Kyiv for an encounter with Sweden. Wayne Rooney is suspended for the matches against France and Sweden.

England squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City FC), Robert Green (West Ham United FC), John Ruddy (Norwich City FC).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton FC), Gary Cahill (Chelsea FC), Ashley Cole (Chelsea FC), Glen Johnson (Liverpool FC), Phil Jones (Manchester United FC), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City FC), John Terry (Chelsea FC).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City FC), Stewart Downing (Liverpool FC), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC), Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC), James Milner (Manchester City FC), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal FC), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Theo Walcott (Arsenal FC), Ashley Young (Manchester United FC).

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool FC), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United FC)*, Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United FC).

*Suspended for first two games.

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Van Marwijk cuts provisional Dutch squad to 27

Bert van Marwijk has retained three uncapped players in his reduced, yet still provisional, 27-man Netherlands squad for UEFA EURO 2012.

PSV Eindhoven left-back Jetro Willems – at 18 a possible candidate to replace injured club-mate Erik Pieters in the starting XI – AZ Alkmaar midfielder Adam Maher and sc Heerenveen forward Luciano Narsingh will travel to a training camp in Lausanne on Thursday having been on the 36-strong list released by Van Marwijk on 7 May.

Two surprise omissions from that enlarged selection are Urby Emanuelson and Hedwiges Maduro, capped 14 and 18 times respectively. The other seven players cut from the party announced last week are: Alexander Büttner, Jasper Cillessen, Ola John, Erwin Mulder, Nick Viergever, Stefan de Vrij and Georginio Wijnaldum. From the team which started the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, only retired left-back Giovanni van Bronckhorst is missing.

In attack, Van Marwijk must decide whether to pair Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar together, both of whom have enjoyed prolific seasons in England and Germany respectively, or continue with his policy of deploying one central striker.

"They can play together," said Van Marwijk. "I'm glad that Klaas-Jan became top scorer in Germany and Robin in England, but I'm also glad that Wesley Sneijder is fit again and Arjen Robben has been doing good things."

Club commitments this weekend preclude Robben, Ibrahim Afellay and Stijn Schaars from joining up with the rest of squad, but the trio could be considered for selection when the Dutch play UEFA Champions League finalists FC Bayern München in a friendly on 22 May. The Oranje then tackle Bulgaria (26 May), Slovakia (30 May) and Northern Ireland (2 June) before travelling to their tournament base in Krakow on 4 June.

Provisional Netherlands squad
Goalkeepers: Tim Krul (Newcastle United FC), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Michel Vorm (Swansea City AFC).

Defenders: Vurnon Anita (AFC Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), John Heitinga (Everton FC), Joris Mathijsen (Málaga CF), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (AFC Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV Eindhoven).

Midfielders: Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City FC), Siem de Jong (AFC Ajax), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Wesley Sneijder (FC Internazionale Milano), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur FC)

Forwards: Ibrahim Afellay (FC Barcelona), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (FC Schalke 04), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool FC), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven), Luciano Narsingh (sc Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal FC), Arjen Robben (FC Bayern München).

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Euro 2012: Rio Ferdinand dropped from England squad

Hodgson contacted Ferdinand on Tuesday to inform him that he would not be including him in his squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine next month. The England manager then travelled to Chelsea's training ground where he met Terry for the first time since taking the job and spoke at length to him and the club's other England internationals about his plans for the competition.

Hodgson also rang Peter Crouch, the Stoke City striker, and perhaps most surprisingly Micah Richards, the Manchester City right-back, to let them know that they were also being left out.

By that stage Hodgson had learned that Kyle Walker, the Tottenham Hotspur defender, will miss the tournament because of a broken toe. The Professional Footballers' Association's young player of the year suffered the injury during the game at Bolton Wanderers on 2 April and was assessed on Monday night. The 21-year-old would have been Hodgson's first-choice at right‑back and his absence makes it a particular surprise that Richards is being omitted. However, Hodgson does have alternatives for the position in the form of Phil Jones and Glen Johnson.

Ferdinand's own disappointment is tinged by a sense of bitterness as he reflects on the end of a 14-year international career, encompassing 82 caps and three World Cups. The official line Hodgson will use is that it is purely because Ferdinand is now 33 and has suffered from recurrent back and calf injuries over the past three seasons. However, a dismayed Ferdinand is convinced it is directly linked to his issues with Terry and the potential divisions that might have been caused if the two centre-backs were both involved.

Hodgson, who has also cancelled a training camp in Spain next week, is acutely aware of the bad feeling that exists since Terry was accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio's younger brother, during Chelsea's match at Queens Park Rangers in October. Terry denies the charge, to be heard at Westminster magistrates' court on 9 July, and Hodgson's early inquiries have revealed that the case has already caused divisions in the England squad. The fear uppermost in Hodgson's mind was that those issues would intensify during a month away when all the feedback he has received has indicated that there is no hope of an end to impasse in the relations. In the end, he has concluded that it is unworkable.

Ferdinand's dismay is not eased by the fact Jones, almost guaranteed to get a place in the squad, is one of his understudies at club level, while Hodgson also planned to select Chris Smalling, another of the players behind him in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Smalling's groin injury had opened another place but Hodgson has decided Ferdinand's vast tournament experience is not needed when there are younger candidates such as Joleon Lescott and Gary Cahill. Hodgson is also aware Jones can play at right-back or in the centre and that versatility could be particularly useful now Walker is out of the competition. In total, England now have five players ruled out through injury, with Jack Wilshere, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone and Jack Rodwell also not in contention. Darren Bent, battling to prove his fitness after an ankle operation, may be a sixth.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard, the first senior England player Hodgson contacted after becoming manager, is favourite to be made captain.

Ferdinand's own injury issues have played a part in Hodgson's thinking. The manager tried to ease the disappointment by ringing Ferdinand to break the news himself and he is entitled to point out it would have been a gamble relying on his fitness when England have three games in a week. Ferdinand, however, has not missed a game through injury since January. He has played all of United's last 12 games and will know, almost certainly, that he will not get another chance at this level.