Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

The Azerbaijan Association of Football Federations (AFFA) was entrusted to prepare the Bid Book and to conduct in this connection organizational works, due to the decree of Azerbaijan's President on measures related to nominating the Azerbaijani capital Baku to host the European Football Championship in 2020, AFFA reported on July 5.

A working group was formed under the leadership of AFFA president Rovnag Abdullayev to prepare the Bid Book for presenting it to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

AFFA Secretary General Elkhan Mammadov was appointed as the team leader. The working group includes Sarkhan Hajiyev, Mikayil Guliyev, Konul Mehtiyeva, Sabina Huseynova, Ramish Maliyev and Elnur Mammadov. AFFA president Abdullayev monitors the implementation of the order.

Baku's bid was put forward for holding the 2020 European championship to promote and develop soccer in the country.

Holding such a grand sporting event in Baku will facilitate further development of football in Azerbaijan.

"Hosting the European Football Championship in 2020 in Baku is a great opportunity to present our country," Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov said in May.

Rahimov stressed that Azerbaijan faces no pre-condition on building new stadiums, as was the case with Ukraine and Poland. This requires hefty investments.

In December, the UEFA Executive Committee made a decision at its meeting in Lausanne to hold the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament in a number of major cities throughout Europe.

European Football Championship, held every four years since 1960, was co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine in 2012, while France will host the next competition in 2016. Thus, Euro 2020 will be the first major football tournament to span more than two countries.

If a decision is made to hold the European championship in several countries, the Olympic stadium for 68,000 spectators to be constructed in Baku by 2015 and the overhauled stadium named after Tofig Bahramov will be capable of hosting the tournament.

In December 2012, AFFA jointly with the Georgian Football Federation expressed its interest in hosting the European soccer championship in 2020 and stated its readiness to enter the bidding.

Turkey, Wales, Scotland and Ireland have also expressed their interest to UEFA about hosting the matches.