Besides the World Cup, the Euros is the top football event for international competition. There were play-offs to determine 23 of the 24 total participating nations, with Germany, the hosts, automatically being eligible to play in the event.
The 2024 variation of the Euros comes with one notable difference, which is that 26 players can be listed on a team sheet, as opposed to 23. Initially, this change was made due to COVID’s effect on the Euro 2020 tournament, with plans to scrap it in the future. However, it was recently confirmed by UEFA that the 26-man rosters would remain, offering managers more choice and added squad depth.
It’s worth mentioning that registering a total of 26 players is not a necessity to compete. The minimum number of players per team is 23, although it’s expected that all countries will utilise the full 26, if possible.
Italy are the defending champions, after a closely contested final against England in the 2020 Euros. The most successful teams since the tournament began in 1960 are Spain and Germany, both having 3 titles to their name. All four of the teams mentioned have strong chances to claim the 2024 Trophy, with rosters stacked full of talented footballers.
Here’s a quick overview of the recent winners from the last 10 iterations of the UEFA Euro competition:
| Year | Winning Team | Runners-Up |
| 2020 | Italy | England |
| 2016 | Portugal | France |
| 2012 | Spain | Italy |
| 2008 | Spain | Germany |
| 2004 | Greece | Portugal |
| 2000 | France | Italy |
| 1996 | Germany | Czech Republic |
| 1992 | Denmark | Germany |
| 1988 | Netherlands | Soviet Union |
| 1984 | France | Spain |
Euro 2024 Key Dates
The Euro 2024 event will begin shortly after domestic seasons have concluded, with the action commencing on Friday, June 14th. This gives each country a fair chance to compete, allowing for equal breaks, training, and planning before the first matches get underway.
While not all the Euro 2024 fixtures have been confirmed yet, the first match will see the hosts, Germany, take on Scotland inside the Allianz Arena in Munich. This will be the only game on June 14th, with kick-off commencing at 9:00 pm CEST, which will be 8:00 pm in the UK.
Here’s a look at the Euro 2024 schedule that has been confirmed so far, so that you can stick the dates in your diary:
- Friday June 14th – Opening Match
- Saturday, June 29th – Knockout Stages Begin
- Friday July 5th – Quarter-Finals Begin
- Tuesday July 9th – Semi-Finals Begin
- Sunday July 14th – The Final
Another detail that we know is the location of the final itself, which will be the picturesque Olympiastadion in Berlin.
How The 2024 Tournament Will Work
As touched on already, there will be a total of 24 teams competing in the 2024 Euros. At the start, teams will be separated into 6 groups, with the two top moving on. During the group stages, each team will play each other twice, and the regular scoring for match results will remain in play (3 points for a win, 1pt for a draw, and 0 pts for a loss).
As for the third-placed teams, they will participate in the round of 16. Winning nations will move on to the quarter-finals, while losing teams will be eliminated. Those who finished fourth in the group stages will also be sent home.
The rest of the games for the tournament will be played in standard knockout fashion. Interestingly, there is also no third-place decider match in this iteration of the Euros.
Euro 2024 Stadiums
Ten of the most prestigious stadiums in Germany have been selected to host different matches throughout the Euro 2024 campaign. The Euro 2024 stadiums are:
- Olympiastadion Berlin (Capacity of 71,000)
- Cologne Stadium (RheinEnergieSTADION) (Capacity of 43,000)
- BVB Stadion Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park) (Capacity of 62,000)
- Dusseldorf Arena (Merkur Spielarena) (Capacity of 47,000)
- Frankfurt Arena (Deutsche Bank Park) (Capacity of 47,000)
- Arena AufSchalke (Veltins Arena) (Capacity of 50,000)
- Volksparkstadion Hamburg (Capacity of 49,000)
- Leipzig Stadium (Red Bull Arena) (Capacity of 40,000)
- Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena) (Capacity of 66,000)
- Stuttgart Arena (Capacity of 51,000)
Naturally, millions of tourists are expected in various venues across Germany, with the impressive rail system of the country making travel much easier. Most of these stadiums are spread across the nation, however, there are a handful of venues in the West of Germany that are closer together than others.
Why are Germany The Hosts?
Germany was selected as the host country due to a voting process by members of the UEFA executive committee. This process was completed back in 2018, with Turkey being the other contesting nation in the final round of votes.
It was the great infrastructure of Germany that was the leading factor in the decision. With plenty of top stadiums, such as the Olympiastadion Berlin, already being prominent in the country, it meant that little extra work would be needed prior to the event. Turkey’s poor human rights laws were also a decisive point.
Germany was awarded the honours of being the 2024 hosts and has already offered plenty to players and fans:
- Albärt the teddy bear, mascot of the 2024 Euros, which was voted on by UEFA website users and schoolchildren throughout Europe.
- A unique match ball for the tournament that will be used in all games, known as the FUSSBALLLIEBE. It simply means ‘Love For Football’ when translated into English.
- Fan zones located in every city throughout Germany that will offer a wide variety of ways to watch. These can include interactive viewing experiences, or simply a dedicated space to soak up the atmosphere of the event.
- Ambassadors for different situations to ensure a seamless experience for everyone involved.
- A team of 146,000 volunteers that will help to make sure that the event runs smoothly. These volunteers come from 124 different nations!
- An eEuro variation of the event that will run alongside the official tournament. This will be live-streamed across a few different online platforms and can be watched for free.
Euro 2024 Groups
The groups for Euro 2024 have already been selected, with plenty of potential in each. One of the groups that has caught the eye of many football enthusiasts and anyone who wants to bet on football is Group B. This includes Spain and Italy, alongside Croatia, who is prone to upsetting the odds!
Here’s a look at the groups and the numbers given to each team:
Group A
1: Germany
2: Scotland
3: Hungary
4: Switzerland
Group B
1: Spain
2: Croatia
3: Italy
4: Albania
Group C
1: Slovenia
2: Denmark
3: Serbia
4: England
Group D
1: Poland
2: Netherlands
3: Austria
4: France
Group E
1: Belgium
2: Slovakia
3: Romania
4: Ukraine
Group F
1: Turkey
2: Georgia
3: Portugal
4: Czechia
Kick-off Times
Luckily for spectators across the United Kingdom, Germany is only one hour ahead, meaning that most, if not all of the games will be played at viewable times.
The kick-off times for each of the group stage ties will be spread throughout the day from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm CEST, which is the time zone in Germany. Most days feature three matches, kicking off at 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 9:00 pm CEST, although this can change as the tournament progresses.
This translates to kick-off times between 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm for UK spectators, with each day being packed with footballing action.
All the Euros 2024 dates and times for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals have all been confirmed by UEFA too. Here’s a list of the dates and kick-off times:
- Quarter-Final 1 – 5th of July at 6:00 pm CEST (5:00 pm in the UK)
- Quarter-Final 2 – 5th of July at 9:00 pm CEST (8:00 pm in the UK)
- Quarter-Final 3 – 6th of July at 6:00 pm CEST (5:00 pm in the UK)
- Quarter-Final 4– 6th of July at 9:00 pm CEST (8:00 pm in the UK)
- Semi-Final 1 – 9th of July at 9:00 pm CEST (8:00 pm in the UK)
- Semi-Final 2 – 10th of July at 9 pm CEST (8:00 pm in the UK)
- Final – July 14th at 9 pm CEST (8:00 pm in the UK)
Bet on Euro 2024 with BetVictor UK
Looking for the best Euro 2024 betting odds? BetVictor UK is the place to be. We offer a range of football odds for different markets, including match winners, goal scorers, and handicap options. You can have bets on the outright winner of the European Championships 2024 from within our sportsbook, with in-play betting options also becoming available as soon as each game gets underway.
When football mania strikes the heart of Europe, our blog will keep you up to date with every detail from the tournament. BetVictor will be constantly publishing betting tips, coverage, and analysis of the biggest games, with some articles for Euros 2024 already being live. Naturally, we also offer a range of other sports betting options for events throughout the year!
