Ukraine’s bid to host Nations League clash with Ireland in Łódź hits snag

A senior official from the Polish FA last week flagged that the city of Łódź, 140km from Warsaw, was in line to host Ukraine's home games in the Nations League, against Armenia (June 11) and Ireland (June 14).

Ukraine manager Alexander Petrakov had expressed his preference to play the 'home' Nations League games in Łódź with the newly-opened LKS stadium, which has an 18,000 capacity, lined up to host the matches.

But due to other events in Łódź that week, a Julio Iglesias concert and a medical conference, there is a severe lack of hotel availability for the Armenia game, and the Armenian FA have expressed their concern.

Hotel spaces are widely available for Ireland's visit four days later to satisfy the demands of the FAI official party and travelling supporters from Ireland, but it's believed that if Łódź cannot host the Armenia match, a new venue will have to be found for both ties as Ukraine do not want to have two different venues.

"We cannot find a hotel with enough vacancies for the request submitted by the Armenian FA," Adam Kaźmierczak, vice-president of the Polish Football Association who is also head of the Łódź FA, told sport.interia.pl.

"We are trying to convince them to come to Łódź the day before the game, on June 10. We are awaiting their answer."

Ukraine's senior squad have been on a training camp in Slovenia and play Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany tomorrow in the first of their warm-up games ahead of the World Cup playoff against Scotland on June 2.