Understanding the UEFA Euro 2024 in One Article: Your Comprehensive Guide to the Tournament

On the early morning of June 15, the much-anticipated 2024 UEFA European Football Championship will kick off at Munich’s Allianz Arena. How much do you know about this quadrennial football extravaganza? What are the highlights and novelties to watch out for this year? Let’s delve into the details.

Overview of the 2024 UEFA Euro

The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024, marks the 17th edition of the quadrennial tournament organized by UEFA for men’s national football teams.

This year’s event will take place from June 14 to July 14 in Germany, with the opening match starting at 3:00 AM on June 15 at Munich’s stadium, featuring host nation Germany against Scotland. The final will be held on July 15 at 3:00 AM at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Participating Teams and Groupings

Twenty-four teams have qualified for the main event, divided into six groups, each containing one seeded team, determined by their performance in the UEFA European Qualifiers. Germany, as the host, automatically secured a seeded position in Group A. The group allocation is as follows:

Group A: Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Hungary

Group B: Italy, Croatia, Spain, Albania

Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, England, Serbia

Group D: Austria, France, Netherlands, Poland

Group E: Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine

Group F: Czech Republic, Turkey, Portugal, Georgia

Tournament Format: Group Stage and Knockout Rounds

Group Stage:

The format, rules, and structure of the 2024 Euro remain similar to the previous edition. Twenty-four teams are split into six groups, playing each other once based on a win (3 points), draw (1 point), loss (0 points) system.

After three rounds, the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16, while the remaining eight teams are eliminated. In case of tied points in a group:

a) Team with more points in head-to-head matches ranks higher

b) Team with better goal difference in head-to-head matches ranks higher

c) Team with more goals scored in head-to-head matches ranks higher

If a, b, and c fail to break the tie:

d) Team with better overall goal difference ranks higher

e) Team with more overall goals scored ranks higher

f) In the last round, if tied teams play each other and have equal goal difference, a penalty shootout decides the position (not applicable if more than two teams are tied)

g) Team with more fair play points ranks higher

h) Team with a higher ranking in the UEFA European Qualifiers, or a draw if involving the host Germany

To determine the ranking of third-placed teams:

a) Team with more points ranks higher

b) Team with better goal difference ranks higher

c) Team with more goals scored ranks higher

d) Team with more wins ranks higher

e) Team with more fair play points ranks higher

f) Team with a higher ranking in the UEFA European Qualifiers, or a draw if involving the host Germany

Knockout Stage:

The knockout stage involves single-match elimination, with the winner advancing and the loser being knocked out. If a game is tied after 90 minutes, there’s a 30-minute extra time, and if no winner is determined, a penalty shootout ensues.

Since 1984, there has been no third-place play-off in the UEFA Euro.

Comprehensive 2024 UEFA Euro Schedule

The opening match between Germany and Scotland takes place at 3:00 AM on June 15 in Munich. For the first two rounds, games are scheduled daily at 9:00 PM, midnight, and 3:00 AM.

The final group matches will be played on June 24 at 3:00 AM, with no non-midnight games following that. Each group’s two matches will be played simultaneously at 0:00 and 3:00 AM, concluding all group stage matches by June 27.

The round of 16 starts at 12:00 AM on June 30, with two games per matchday until the semi-finals, both at 3:00 AM. The final is scheduled for 3:00 AM on July 15 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

2024 UEFA Euro Venues Overview

The 51 matches of UEFA Euro 2024 will be held across ten world-class football stadiums in ten major German cities: Hamburg, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Cologne, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich.

Several of these venues are home to well-known local teams, but for the international tournament, commercially sponsored names like “Allianz Arena” won’t be used. Here’s a rundown of the venues without sponsor references:

Berlin Olympic Stadium

Capacity: 71,000

Home Team: Hertha Berlin

Hosted Matches:

June 16, 12:00 AM – Group C: Spain vs. Croatia

June 22, 12:00 AM – Group D: Poland vs. Austria

June 26, 12:00 AM – Group D: Netherlands vs. Austria

June 30, 12:00 AM – Round of 16: Group 2A vs. Group 2C/D/E/F

July 7, 12:00 AM – Quarterfinal: W43 vs. W44

July 15, 12:00 AM – Final

K枚ln Stadium