Sweden gearing up for 2009

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The Malmö Arena will host the final in 2009 (©UEFA)

The Malmö Arena will host the final of the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden.

New grounds
The new stadium is under construction next to Malmö FF's current ground, the Malmö Stadion. It will be completed by April 2009 and, subject to it hosting five fully operational matches by June of the same year, will stage four games during the tournament, including the showpiece. The Malmö Arena will host the final in place of Stockholm's Råsunda Stadion, which had initially been scheduled to hold the event. The eight-team 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which runs from 15 to 29 June, will be based around two centres: Centre A in Malmo and Helsingborg, and Centre B in Gothenburg and Boras, with new stadia at Malmo and Gothenburg. 
 
Centre A
Matches in Centre A will be played at the new Malmö Arena and the Olympia Stadion in Helsingborg. The Malmö Arena, which will have a capacity of 21,000, will host three group games, including the tournament's opening match, and the final. When completed, it will become home to Allsvenskan side Malmö FF. The Olympia Stadion, located 65km to the north of Malmo in Helsingborg, has a capacity of 12,000 and will stage three group games. The Olympia, home to Helsingborgs IF, has undergone several renovations in recent times, the latest in 2001, and has hosted UEFA club competition matches.

Centre B
Three group matches and one semi-final (between the winners of Group A and the runners-up of Group B) will be played at the new Göteborg Arena which is scheduled for completion in December 2008. The stadium will have a capacity of 16,700 and is due to become home to the town's three big clubs, IFK Göteborg, GAIS Göteborg and Örgryte IS. The city of Boras, which is 65km to the east of Gothenburg, will host Centre B's remaining ties as well as the semi-final between the winners of Group B and the runners-up in Group A. The Borås Arena is home to 2006 Swedish champions IF Elfsborg and holds 14,400 supporters. It was inaugurated in 2005 and though it has an artificial surface, grass will be laid in time for the 2009 tournament.

Hosts play holders
The tournament opens on 15 June 2009 when two Group A games are played in Malmo and Helsingborg. The other two host venues, Gothenburg and Boras, stage their opening fixtures the following day. Group games continue on 18, 19, 22 and 23 June, with the semi-finals at the Göteborg Arena and Borås Arena three days later. The final will be played at the Malmö Arena on 29 June.

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