Romania’s Government plans to include one hour of football per week in the school curriculum, starting the 2015/2016 school year and to build 400 new football pitches in Romania, Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced in a meeting with Bucharest’s mayor Sorin Oprescu and Romanian Football Federation (FRF) president Razvan Burleanu.

The three met to talk about the preparations Romania has to be able to organize some matches of the European Football Championship in 2020. Bucharest’s National Arena was selected to host four matches of the Euro 2020 tournament, along 12 other cities in Europe, UEFA’s executive committee in Geneva announced in September.

Romanian football had poor results in recent years. Romania’s national team failed to qualify to the last four World Cup tournaments and played its last European Championship in 2008. Romania is currently trying to qualify to the EURO 2016 tournament and recently hired Anghel Iordanescu to replace Victor Piturca as manager.

Romanian football clubs also had poor results in European competitions in recent years. Romania is currently 21st in the FIFA World Ranking of the best football teams in the world.

Razvan Burleanu, who was elected president of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) earlier this year, promised that he would change the way Romanian football is managed and financed.

PM Victor Ponta said on Wendesday that the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration should make a program to build 400 football pitches in Romania and to modernize four football stadiums in Bucharest, according to Mediafax.

He also said that the Government will support Bucharest’s local authorities to build the new polyvalent sports hall, which should be able to host the European Gymnastics Championship in 2017 and other international competitions.

The municipality in Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s third largest city, recently inaugurated a new indoor sports arena, which can host international competitions, following a EUR 16 million investment.

editor@romania-insider.com