Poland's Euro 2012 drive right on track

WARSAW - While the clock ticks down to the Euro 2012 draw in Ukraine, organizers in fellow host country Poland say they are ready for anything as they wait to learn which qualified nations will play where.

"We're really coming down to the very practical moment," said Marcin Herra, boss of PL.2012, the body supervising 300 interlinked projects for the European Championships, from stadiums to hotels and road and rail networks to airports.

Friday's draw in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev will end months of speculation over who among the 16 qualified teams will play in which of eight cities.

The hosts will be watching like hawks - and not only to see who their on-pitch adversaries are, because match location is a top issue at the quadrennial showcase.

Fan-magnets England, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Holland all qualified. A team's support level impacts accommodation, transport and security.

Besides Warsaw, Poland's venues are Gdansk on the Baltic, Poznan in the west and Wroclaw in the southwest.

"I can't wait until Friday, when all the question marks will be answered," said Rafal Kapler, head of Warsaw's National Stadium, due to open next month.

Poland knows it kicks off Euro 2012 in the capital on June 8, play its second match there on June 12, and wraps up Group A on June 16 in Wroclaw.

Ukraine will play on home turf in Group D.

Agence France-Presse