Western Georgia welcomes five upgraded sports facilities for European U-21 Championship
Ramaz Shengelia Stadium in the western city of Kutaisi. Photo: Ministry of Infrastructure
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Georgian Infrastructure Minister Irakli Karseladze on Wednesday visited newly renovated Ramaz Shengelia Stadium in the western city of Kutaisi, one of five renovated venues that will host matches of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the west of the country this summer.
Karseladze said the infrastructure put in place in the run-up to the competition would “contribute to the development of Georgian football and raise interest in sports among young people”.
Photo: Ministry of Infrastructure
Tbilisi's Mikheil Meskhi and Boris Paichadze stadiums have also been renovated for the youth tournament, along with training grounds in the capital. Western locations of Tskaltubo, Kobuleti and Batumi have also been prepared for the event.
Photo: Ministry of Infrastructure
The Government has spent ₾100 million ($39.38mln) on renovating the venues, with the Ministry noting the works were being carried out with the involvement of the UEFA.
The Championship will be co-hosted by Georgia and Romania between June 21-July 8, with games in the former to be played in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi.
Irakli Karseladze, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure and the Georgian Football Federation President Levan Kobiashvili on Saturday discussed the preparation process for holding the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia with the delegation of the Union of European Football Associations.
Ten sports facilities have been built or renovated across Georgia for hosting the UEFA European Under-21 Championship this summer, the Ministry of Infrastructure said on Tuesday.
Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi will see updates to its coastline boulevard under the Renewed Regions state programme for infrastructure, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure said on Friday.
Trains running between the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and the Black Sea city of Batumi will carry promotional visuals and information for the UEFA Under-21 European Championship, as the countdown to the kick-off of the football competition started on Monday.
Thirty-eight countries of the Commission for Europe of the United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation have chosen Georgia as the host country for next year’s World Tourism Day, with the selection made at their 68th meeting on Thursday in Sofia, Bulgaria. Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili praised the news as “another great recognition of our country”.
Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze on Tuesday said he was “proud to say” the country was “fully prepared” to host matches of the upcoming UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said the country was “fully prepared” to host the UEFA European U21 Championship “with dignity and at the highest level”, while visiting the Ramaz Shengelia Stadium in the western city of Kutaisi, one of the venues renovated for the purpose of hosting matches of the tournament.
Three football professionals from Georgia will join committees at the UEFA following selections that came along with the European governing body’s recognition of the country’s organisational efforts for the sport.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday told the Parliament “important” cultural and sport events took place in the country last year and the trend would continue this year as well to make Georgia a “gathering place for international level sport and cultural events”.