City may host Uefa 2020 as Cabinet gives bid approval

FOLLOWING the major success of the Champions League final, Cardiff may host a major European footballing event in a “once-ina-lifetime opportunity”.

Yesterday, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet gave its approval for the resubmission of the 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’ heroic campaign that saw them get through to the semi-finals.

Brussels has dropped out of hosting, 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 are 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 Councillor 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 needs the whole city behind it.

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

Councillor Keith Parry called on the council to work with the railways to ensure there was capacity to meet demand after queues following the 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.”

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure Peter Bradbury said: “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. One that we should grasp.”