Could European Championship come to capital?

FOLLOWING the major success of the Champions League Final, Cardiff may host European Championship games in a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Yesterday Cardiff council’s cabinet gave its approval for the re-submission of a 2014 bid to become a host city for the Uefa European Football Championships in 2020.

The 2016 tournament in France was the scene of Wales’ amazing campaign that saw them get through to the semifinals.

Brussels has dropped out of hosting games in the 2020 event and if Cardiff’s bid is successful it is estimated it could provide a boost of more than £100m for the local economy.

The Welsh capital and the Principality Stadium is expected to go up against London and Wembley as Uefa considers a possible replacement for Brussels.

Despite widespread support concerns were raised as to the negative impact it could have on the city.

While expressing his support Coun Joe Boyle said: “As a football fan, if being a Sunderland fan can be called that, I think the worst people to make this decision are football fans. It needs to have a whole city benefit. It need the whole city behind it.

“Let’s hope the bus station is done by then.”

Coun Keith Parry called on the council to work with the railways to ensure there was capacity to meet demand after queues following the recent Anthony Joshua fight.

He said: “I would want to get the railways on board so we don’t have people waiting for five hours for a taxi which was a real embarrassment for the city.”

Cabinet member for culture and leisure Peter Bradbury said despite these concerns the city should not miss the opportunity to host part of the tournament.

He said: “We have to work with the rail franchises to make sure we get people in and out quickly.

“We can raise the profile of our city and our nation. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – one that we should grasp.”