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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