The Romanian government has removed the proposed new-look home for Liga I football club Dinamo București from its hosting plan for UEFA Euro 2020 after stating the project has been postponed indefinitely.
Bucharest’s Arena Națională, home of national team games and Dinamo’s city rival Steaua, is set to be at the heart of the capital’s staging of its portion of Euro 2020, however the redeveloped Stadionul Dinamo, along with Stadionul Naţional de Rugby Arcul de Triumf and Rapid București’s Stadionul Giulești-Valentin Stănescu had also been earmarked for roles.
The state-owned Stadionul Dinamo first opened in 1952 and currently has a capacity of around 15,000. However, Cristian Balaj, an advisor to Minister of Youth and Sports Bogdan Matei, told Romanian website ProSport that Dinamo’s revamped stadium will not be ready in time for Euro 2020, when Bucharest will host group stage games, plus a Round of 16 match.
Balaj said: “The government wants to rebuild Stadionul Dinamo, but it’s in litigation. Nothing can be done until the problems are over.”
Concerning the other venues, he added: “The Steaua, Rapid and Arcul de Triumf stadia are on schedule and I think that the construction will be completed there in 2020. Large budgets have been allocated and it is normal for it to end by then.”
A Dinamo club official confirmed the stadium’s removal from the Euro 2020 plans, adding: “It will be ready at some point, but it is clear that this will not happen until (after) 2020.”
Image: Rowley
