Klagenfurt is the most southerly state capital in Austria as well as being the economic and cultural heart of the Carinthia region. Klagenfurt will be among the Austrian host cities for UEFA EURO 2008â„¢, along with Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Mayor Harald Scheucher delivers his personal greeting for visitors at euro2008.com.
We welcome you to Klagenfurt! This is a hospitable, lively and beautiful city with a sports mad public and a wonderful new stadium. Klagenfurt has a tradition of hosting successful sporting events - the Austrian Ironman competition and the Beach Volleyball Grand Slam both take place in the city before hordes of excited spectators. With 2,200 starters and more than 100,000 on-lookers, the Ironman 2006 was one of the biggest competitions of its kind in the world.
On schedule
Now UEFA EURO 2008â„¢ is on its way and is beginning to grab the spotlight. Germany set the standard with the FIFA World Cup, which we will use as our point of reference. We are on track with all of our preparations. The measures we are taking will be agreed with the other UEFA EURO 2008â„¢ cities, with UEFA, the Austrian Football Federation, and the security representatives, as well as with the relevant agencies and organisations.
Public viewing
During EURO, we will offer the public and fans in Klagenfurt the opportunity to watch games on giant screens, which proved to be a huge success in Germany during the World Cup. We can feel the excitement growing here in the city. The best teams in Europe are beginning to hit their stride and I see the tournament as a great opportunity for Klagenfurt.
Pride
I am very proud to be the Mayor of such a beautiful city. I think our location in southern Austria, close to Italy, Croatia and Slovenia, as well as our reputation as a sporting city, were factors in the decision to award us host city status for UEFA EURO 2008â„¢. I am convinced that we can meet all of the demands and offer an exciting and successful footballing experience. Following the games in Klagenfurt, I am sure we will be able to take even more pride in our city.