The preparations are going very well, even though it wasn't easy at the start of the project. Seven of the eight stadiums have already been inaugurated and the National Stadium in Warsaw will host its first international on 29 February. Airports, roads, train stations and hotels have also all been developed, modernised or even built from scratch so Poland and Ukraine are ready to cope with the massive influx of tourists next summer as well as for years to come.

The UEFA European Football Championship is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will be broadcast in more than 200 territories across the globe, with around 150 million people watching each match live. The success of ticket sales - with more than 12m requests for approximately 550,000 available tickets - is further proof of the fans' wish to be part of the EURO and to enjoy a unique football celebration.

It indeed adds to the challenges, in terms of logistics, different currencies and legislation, cross-border operations and the need for efficient transnational cooperation at government level for instance. But it is also a unique chance to bring neighbouring nations closer together and to foster links between them.

Yes, this is clearly an advantage but the issues are never exactly the same. Unlike in 2008, where both countries were part of the Schengen Agreement, we now have one EU and one non-EU country. This forces us to put more work into developing easy and quick procedures for border-crossing for fans.

The long-lasting legacy for Poland and Ukraine will be huge. Both countries are undergoing significant changes in terms of infrastructure, and the effect of the construction now taking place will have an enduring impact on the daily life of Polish and Ukrainian citizens. Modernisation on this scale usually takes around 20 years to be implemented, but in Poland and Ukraine, new airports, roads, hotels, train stations, buses etc. have been developed in just a few short years. Furthermore, it will put these two countries on the world map, not only as tourist destinations, but also enabling them to show what they are capable of. This is a source of great pride for both nations. In terms of football, modern arenas will be there for the long haul, and I am not only talking about the eight stadiums that will host matches, but also the numerous others which will serve as base camps for the participating teams. More importantly, the number of children playing football will increase. This should help raise the level of the game in the years to come and also bring various social benefits, notably in health and social integration.

Fan zones are a fantastic addition to the official stadiums and are now part of the overall football celebration. We created the first fan zone at UEFA EURO 2004 in Lisbon, Portugal, and it could welcome 15,000 visitors. It proved a real success and at the 2006 FIFA World Cup every city had their own fan zone, with the biggest capable of hosting up to 100,000 people. Fan zones are now a normal part of a tournament, allowing the thousands of fans who don't have tickets to be part of the festival and enjoy the matches on a giant screen in a great atmosphere. There are obviously some logistical challenges in organising fan zones, but they are nothing in comparison to the pleasure they give visitors.

We have a very experienced team leading this project. They have already organised three EUROs and their knowledge is key to the organisation. We also have a good relationship with the host governments, regions and cities, as well as the national football associations, so we are confident that the most difficult part of the job has been done. Obviously, though, we do need to do some fine-tuning and we will only really be able to relax when the final match has been played and all the fans have returned home with great memories.

We estimate that about 1.6 million fans will visit Poland and Ukraine next June, which will give the local economy a substantial short-term boost. But more importantly, the tournament will give Poland and Ukraine the chance to make names for themselves around the world, increasing their appeal as tourist destinations in the medium to long-term, in addition to the tens of thousands of jobs that have been created by UEFA EURO 2012.

That football fans leave Poland and Ukraine with long-lasting, positive memories and that the tournament is remembered for its historical significance and quality of football. Also that the level of football in both host countries develops and that the new local football structures help increase participation in the sport.

The match calendar will be slightly more complicated to finalise, with 24 teams in 11 stadiums, meaning more matches per stadium and fewer rest days for the pitches. We will need everything in bigger quantities, but with the quality remaining the same. The tournament will be longer but all in all we are very confident we will deliver to the highest standard. More importantly, it will be beneficial for the game as more associations will have the chance to play at the highest level of national team football.