MOSCOW, October 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will not compete for the right to host the 2006 Under-21 European Soccer Championship even if the team qualifies for the final stage of the tournament, Sergei Meshcheryakov, a spokesman for the Russian Football Union, said Tuesday.
Eight teams out of 16 will qualify for the final stage of the championship after the playoffs, which start on November 11. Any of the European countries of the eight qualified teams will have the right to bid to host the championship that will kick off on May 25, 2006.
The Russian team qualified for the playoffs and, according to the October 13 draws in Nyon, Switzerland, it will face the Danish team. The teams will play November 12 in Krasnodar, Russia and November 16 in Brondby, Denmark.
