St. Petersburg Sees Virus Spike as Euro 2020 Looms
June 9, 2021
St. Petersburg's Gazprom Arena will be up to 50% full for seven Euro 2020 games during June and July.
Peter Kovalev/TASS
Thousands of fans are set to descend on Russia's former imperial capital St. Petersburg for Europe's biggest football extravaganza, Euro 2020, even as coronavirus cases are surging in the city.
Russia's second city has been selected to host seven matches — including a quarter-final — in June and July after the tournament was postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organizers have said necessary measures will be taken to protect players and spectators, but critics say the city — Russia's worst hotspot after Moscow — long ago threw caution to the wind.