Constructed at a cost of 1.9 billion zloty (RM1.81 billion), it resembles an enormous fruit basket, painted in the national colours, and will host the opening ceremony and the opening match on June 8 of the tournament that the Poles are co-hosting with Ukraine.
The stadium – which can hold 58,000 spectators – and overlooks the right bank of the River Vistula which cuts through the city and is opposite the historical centre of Warsaw and the former Royal Palace was the last of the four stadia to be finished.
The others are in Poznan, Gdansk and Wroclaw.
However, work remains to be done on the National Stadium, whose opening was put-off on several occasions.
The turf has yet to be laid and numerous commercial enterprises and offices situated below the seating areas are unfinished.
The first match – the Polish SuperCup between Legia Warsaw and Wisla Krakow – is due to be played there on February 11 if the pitch surface is considered good enough and the police approve the security measures.
The national side is scheduled to play its first match there on February 29 against fellow Euro 2012 qualifiers Portugal.
The four stadia to be used in Ukraine are Kiev, Lviv, Donetsk and Kharkiv. – AFP
