The venue for the opening game at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship has been opened to the public after construction was completed on the Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg.
Host to three Group B games in next summer's tournament as well as one of the semi-finals, the 16,700-capacity stadium will be home to three local clubs – GAIS Göteborg, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS – and fans as well as players from all three visited to enjoy a tour of the new arena. Göteborg forward Pontus Wernbloom, who has been a regular for Sweden's U21 side this year, said: "It looks incredibly cool. Imagine what it's going to feel like to run out on to the pitch here."
Besides getting to see the new stadium, visitors could buy souvenirs, season tickets and warm themselves with hot mugs of glögg – Sweden's traditional festive mulled wine. The Allsvenskan programme for 2009 has yet to be finalised, but the trio of clubs due to use the Gamla Ullevi have asked the Swedish Football Association to schedule the derby between Örgryte and GAIS as the first competitive match at the new ground. A few months later, the stadium will host the 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship opening game between Germany and Spain on 15 June.
