Ukraine football president positive over Euro 2012

The president of Ukraine`s football federation is confident his country will remain as co-host of the 2012 European Championship, according to AP.

UEFA is expected to rule Friday on whether Ukraine and Poland can still host the tournament, following concerns about their preparations.

"I am absolutely sure everything will be ready for Ukraine and Poland for the organization of this competition," Grigoriy Surkis told The Associated Press on Thursday ahead of the UEFA executive committee meeting in Bordeaux. "I am certain that the report will be positive for Ukraine and for Poland."

UEFA president Michel Platini and his committee members will view a report detailing the two countries have made enough progress on infrastructure and planning — an area of concern when officials visited earlier this year.

Surkis — a member of UEFA`s executive committee — said he was confident Ukraine has made the required progress, particularly over having stadiums ready in time.

"The first stadium was already finished on the 14th of September, one of the six stadiums," Surkis said. "The next one will be ready next year in Donetsk, and there is no doubt that in Kiev the stadium will also be ready on time. There will be no problem for the sporting infrastructure. ... For the other infrastructure, we will follow the plan designed by UEFA and we are sure everything will be delivered on time."

When Platini visited Poland and Ukraine in March, he was unhappy at the lack of progress and warned officials they could lose the right to host Euro 2012 if considerable improvements were not made.

UEFA awarded the tournament to Ukraine and Poland in April 2007, ahead of Italy and another co-host bid from Hungary and Croatia.

The other main item for UEFA`s executive committee will be whether to endorse a move to increase the Euro from 16 to 24 teams. That proposal is expected to be approved after being backed in June.