Ready for a huge summer of sport? One summer sports fixture stands tall, leaving the others in its shadow. The UEFA European Championships returns in June, and Germany will host the event as they set their sights on winning another title. Victory on their patch would catapult Team Germany into the history books. But will the locals live up to the hype and deliver a footballing masterclass to their supporters?

If you’re looking for the latest and most reliable information on Euro 2024, you’ve come to the right place. Our team of experienced content writers and international football enthusiasts bring readers up to speed on all the Euro 2024 information, including dates, format, teams, and more. We are a one-stop shop for all your championship needs.

When Does Euro 2024 Start?

Let’s start at the beginning with the opening ceremony and first game of Euro 2024. The show begins on Friday, 14th June, with the opening ceremony at the Fu?ball Arena Munchen in Munich before Germany’s Group A game against Scotland. The safest way to ensure progress to the next round is to bank three points at the first time of asking, and that’s what Germany aims for against Steve Clarke’s Scots, who famously beat Spain in qualifying.

Group stage games run from 14 June to the start of the knockout rounds on 29 June, when the Round of 16 takes over. We then enjoy the quarter-finals on the 5th and 6th of July. Then, the semi-finals will be on the 9th and 10th of July, and the final will be on 14 July in Berlin.

Tournament Format and Teams

In this section of our Euro 2024 review, we focus on the group stage. Keep reading as we highlight each pool from Group A through to Group F. The best-performing two teams from each set progress to the Round of 16, where they’ll join some unlucky losers from third. All groups consist of four teams, with each nation playing the others in their set once.

Group A

• Germany
• Scotland
• Hungary
• Switzerland

Host nation Germany is in Group A alongside Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland. The hosts play Scotland first and are the favourites to win the pool, progressing to the knockout rounds as group champions. Germany’s second game is against Hungary before finishing off against the Swiss. Games come from four cities: Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt.

Group B

• Spain
• Croatia
• Italy
• Albania

The second pool includes Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Albania, which has the potential to be this summer’s group of death. Will Spain and Italy progress in first and second place, or can the Croatians split the famous pair and book their slot in the knockout stages? Little is expected from Albania, which may be here to make up the numbers. Spain plays Italy on matchday two.

Group C

• Slovenia
• Denmark
• Serbia
• England

Moving to the third pool of Euro 2024, we have another interesting set that could throw up the odd upset result. Group C consists of England, Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia. The Three Lions are expected to finish in pole position, meaning the race is on to follow them to the next round. Denmark has a good chance, but this group should go right down the wire.

Group D

• Poland
• Netherlands
• Austria
• France

Turning our attention to Group D and finding the winner of this pool will be another challenge. France is the standout name in this pool. However, Les Bleus must find a way to deny the Netherlands, which is also expected to progress to the next stage. Will France and the Netherlands go through at the expense of Poland and Austria? It’s likely.

Group E

• Belgium
• Slovakia
• Romania
• Ukraine

The penultimate pool is Group E, and this could be the most competitive of them all, with no clear favourite. Belgium is the biggest name in the lineup, but it’s been far from reliable in recent competitions, and its “Golden Generation” hasn’t all aged well. There’s also Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine. If Belgium goes through as expected, it’ll be a tightly-run race to join them in the next round.

Group F

• Turkey
• Georgia
• Portugal
• Czech Republic

We wrap up the first stage with Group F, which has four teams that travel to Germany, believing they are good enough to enjoy an extended stay. The set includes Portugal, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Georgia. The Portuguese are by no means confirmed winners of the pool, but they are the most likely victors, and it would be a surprise to see them exit at this stage.

EURO 2024 Fixtures

• *WM – Winner Match
• *All of the match previews will be available a few days before the game’s kick-off

Most Anticipated Group Stage Matches

There are some mouth-watering games to look forward to in the groups, ties that are easily big enough to be the deciding match. With so many tightly contested groups, the big-name fixtures may not create the most exciting games. Each day of the group stage will be fast and frantic, and we anticipate seeing more than a few shocks.

Every UEFA European Championship has at least one big-name casualty that drops out of the running at the group stage. Which nation do you think we’ll lose this summer? That could be determined by the results of the games highlighted below.

• Spain vs Italy: One of the early betting favourites faces the defending champions as Spain and Italy lock horns on 20th June in Group B. Spain is the favourite to win and progress to the knockout stages as champions, but Italy has a point to prove. They are the defending champions and know a win over the Spanish would remind fans why they took the trophy in London three years ago by beating England.
• Netherlands vs France: Another clash of two huge names from European football as the Oranje prepares to face Les Bleus on 21st June. The French are betting favourites to win this game and bank the pool, but the Netherlands is back approaching their best form and knows beating France will do wonders for their confidence. Two teams with real strength in attack should make for a thrilling 90 minutes, and the champion could come from this game.
• Spain vs Croatia: Could 2024 be the year Spain wins the European Championships again to become the competition’s most decorated side? It’s possible, and they’d love to achieve that on the turf of their closest rival to get the top spot in Germany. Croatia has no pushover, but if Spain is anywhere near its best, it should have enough quality to win the game and send out a message to the watching world.

Host Country and Venues

Germany is the host nation and is ready to invite Europe around for a football party. In this section of our Euro 2024 review, we highlight the stadiums used this summer.

• We start in Berlin with the Olympiastadion Berlin. This arena has an impressive 74,461 capacity and will host the final and some eye-catching games, including Spain vs Croatia.
• Moving to Munich, the city provides a visually stunning venue in the FuBball Arena Munchen with its impressive 70,076 capacity, which hosts games, including the opener between Germany and Scotland.
• BVB Stadion Dortmund will play a part with its 65,849 capacity, hosting some interesting games, including France vs Poland and Turkey vs Portugal in the group stage.
• The Stuttgart Arena in Stuttgart holds 54,906 and hosts several games, including Germany vs Hungary on matchday two of Group A.
• Volksparkstadion in Hamburg boasts a 52,245 seated capacity, and fans will see Poland play the Netherlands in the groups.
• Arena AufSchalke can fit 54,740 fans on matchday, and you’ll see Spain play Italy there in the pick of the group games.
• The Frankfurt Arena in Frankfurt holds 54,697 fans on matchdays and will host Switzerland vs Germany in the groups. A game that will be packed to capacity.
• The Dusseldorf Arena is big enough to accommodate 51,031 fans, and Albania vs Spain is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
• The Cologne Stadium has a capacity that’s just shy of 50,000 and will welcome Hungary vs Switzerland in the groups as well as Scotland vs Switzerland.
• The Leipzig Stadium boasts a 42,959 seater capacity, and those in attendance will catch Netherlands vs France and Croatia vs Italy in the groups.

Top Favourites and Potential Dark Horses

Oddsmakers working at the biggest online sportsbooks have had their say on Euro 2024, releasing prices early to allow football fans to beat the rush and secure the value.

England is the antepost betting favourite after their near miss three years ago. Gareth Southgate’s side was impressed in qualifying, but the fact remains that the Three Lions have never won this trophy. Will they do that on German soil?

If England doesn’t win the European Championship, traders think it’ll be France, which will be the second favourite. The Germans are third on the list, ahead of Spain. The hosts look a better bet than the Spanish at this stage.

What about a dark horse? Well, I’d love to say Scotland, but they face an uphill struggle just to get out of the group, so I’d suggest the reigning champions, Italy, who will feel they have a point to prove when attempting to win back-to-back titles.

Other Intriguing Info About Euro 2024

Here are some useful and interesting snippets of information regarding Euro 2024.

• The official mascot is a teddy bear wearing shorts known as Albart following a public vote.
• The Euro 2024 match ball was designed by Adidas.
• Some of the official sponsors include Adidas, Alibaba Group, Atos, Betano, and Coca-Cola.
• Euro 2024 will be the 17th edition of this tournament.
• Germany beat Turkey in a vote to host the games by 12 votes to 4.