Football Tournament 2012 - first ever European Parliament President Cup

In less than two weeks Poland will host the opening game of the UEFA European Football Championship. To warm up supporters, Piotr Borys MEP and the Polish Delegation of the EPP Group are organising a 'European Football Tournament 2012' in Brussels, the first tournament in the EU's history where national teams will strive for the European Parliament's President Cup. The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, are both patrons of the event. The matches will be contested on 30 May on the Esplanade Solidarność in front of the European Parliament in Brussels.

MEPs, journalists, assistants and football stars will step on to the football pitch. Teams have also been put forward by the Croatians, who will officially join the EU next year, and the Ukrainians who are co-hosting the UEFA EURO 2012. The Polish goal post will be guarded by Jerzy Dudek, former Liverpool FC and Real Madrid goalkeeper. As for the team, it will be coached by Włodzimierz Lubański, one of the best players in the history of Polish football.

The tournament will be kicked off by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, at its official opening. Commissioners Janusz Lewandowski and Androulla Vassiliou, as well as the Polish Minister for Sport and Tourism, Joanna Mucha, and the former President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, will also take part in the ceremony.

However, there is more to this event, organised in cooperation with the Polish Tourist Organisation, than the active promotion of sport: the Host Cities and Regions of the UEFA EURO 2012 - Dolny Śląsk, Pomorze, Wielkopolska and Mazowsze - will be hosting promotional booths. The presentations of Polish culture and tastings of traditional Polish food are not to be missed! At the invitation of MEP Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, the Polish folk group Jarzębina will sing the official EURO 2012 song.

The significance of the event is highlighted by the awards: the principal trophy - the European Parliament President's Cup - will be offered by Martin Schulz to the winning team. In addition, individual prizes will be awarded to the Best Goalkeeper, the Top Goal scorer and the Best MEP Player.

The European Football Tournament 2012 is a unique opportunity to get the very first taste of this celebration of football. The Head of the Polish Delegation of the EPP Group, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, and MEP Piotr Borys, warmly invite everyone to take part in this event.

The groups draw will take place on 29 May at 13.00 in the European Parliament in Brussels (room ASP 5F385) in the presence of Jerzy Buzek, MEPs Jacek Saryusz-Wolski and Piotr Borys, and Piotr Sobczyński who will provide commentary on the matches. It will be an excellent opportunity to meet the organisers of the event in person.