UEFA has warned 2012 European Championship co-host Ukraine that England's games could be played in front of half-empty stadiums because of hotel price gouging.

A room at the Ibis hotel in Kiev would normally cost $77, but is ­currently advertised for $870 when England plays Sweden in the city on June 15.

A one-star hotel in Donetsk, where England plays France on June 11, is asking for $1,500 a night, while even guesthouses 35 miles away are looking for $380 per person per night.

“They are playing with fire,” said David Taylor, chief executive of UEFA Events. “It is inevitable to an extent. People want to see what they can get out of the situation, but some prices can be counterproductive and, to be honest, some of the prices are quite ridiculous."