Euro 2024 Guide: When is it, where is it, who’s playing, how can I watch it?

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UEFA’s premier international football tournament, the European Championships, returns for its 17 instalment this year. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Euro 2024.

Outside of the World Cup, no footballing tournament has the kingmaking ability of the Euros. Think of 2012 when Spain, winners of the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup, won the competition to complete an unprecedented international tournament hat-trick. Or 2016, when Portugal scraped through and Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy was cemented.

And that’s just recent history. Michel Platini’s playing career wouldn’t be remembered with as much reverence had he not spearheaded France’s Euros victory in 1984. What about Greece? Their 2004 triumph is one of sport’s great underdog achievements.

It’s not just the winners who cement their place in the halls of football history. Iceland became everyone’s favourite second side after their 2016 heroics. That same tournament blasted Will Grigg to infamy. Denmark persevered through untold trauma in 2020 to reach the semi-finals.

Whichever lens you analyse the tournament through, your conclusion will be the same; the Euros is one of football’s showpiece events. This will be no clearer than later this year when 24 teams converge on Germany to contest the 17th edition of the tournament.

Your complete guide to Euro 2024

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Where is the tournament hosted?

Germany.

For the first time as a unified nation, Germany will be hosting the Euros. Of course, the 1988 Euros, won by a vintage Dutch outfit, was contested in West Germany. 2024 will be the first time the nation hosts the Euros, having beaten Turkey to the honour.

Of the 10 cities selected to host matches, nine were involved in the 2006 World Cup; Berlin, Dortmund, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Gelsenkirchen, with Dusseldorf the only city not involved in 2006.

When is the Euros?

14 June 2024 — 14 July 2024

Sandwiched between the end of the 2023-24 season and the beginning of the following campaign, the Euros means elite footballers have minimal resting time this off-season. For context, the tournament’s opening match – Germany v Scotland – kicks off a fortnight after the Champions League Final.

How can I watch it?

Optus Sport is Australia’s home of the European Championship this year.

Which 24 nations are competing?

So far, 21 teams have been confirmed, with a further three to be confirmed after a playoff round.

Wales, Poland, Estonia and Finland will contest playoff group A, with the winner qualifying for the tournament. Similarly, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Iceland and Ukraine contest playoff group B, with Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece and Kazakhstan fighting it out in playoff group C.

While we don’t know which three teams will complete this year’s European Championship, the tournament’s six groups of four teams have already been decided.

Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland

Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, England, Serbia

Group D: Netherlands, Austria, France, winner of playoff group A

Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, winner of playoff group B

Group F: Turkey, Portugal, Czech Republic, winner of playoff group C

Who are the tournament favourites?

FRANCE

France is the obvious choice. Runners up at the 2022 World Cup, Didier Deschamps’ side should consider themselves unlikely to not be entering the Euros as reigning champions.

On paper, there probably isn’t a better side. Real Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe is arguably the best player in Europe. Antoine Griezmann always excels for France, regardless of his role. Marcus Thuram is having a career year at Inter. Both Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are integral at Real Madrid.

At the back, Deschamps can pick from Ibrahima Konate and William Saliba, both fighting for the Premier League title at Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano, talented players despite their patchy 2023-24 form.

Regardless of how the side is constructed, all that matters is the health of Kylian Mbappe. Like many of the greats before him, Mbappe’s game elevates to another level when representing his country, as exemplified by the 2022 World Cup Final. With him, anything is possible.

Ethan Mbappe, Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe (right) with younger brother Ethan

ENGLAND

Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. As far as front fours go, few can rival the one at Gareth Southgate’s disposal. Combined, those four have arguably been the standout players in the Bundesliga, La Liga and Premier League respectively.

Behind them, Declan Rice has grown with Arsenal this season in a more advanced role than usual. He’ll likely be tasked with more of a defensive screening role, which may stifle his newfound attacking output. John Stones might just be the best defensive midfielder and central defender in the Premier League this season.

Southgate has a plethora of options at fullback too. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s season has been exceptional, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are both reliable servants and Reece James is one of the best fullbacks in the world when fully fit.

Euro 2024, jude bellingham, engalnd
If England are any hope of winning Euro 2024, Jude Bellingham must be on song I Euros Preview

However, for all the fantastic pieces at the England manager’s disposal, question marks remain. Who partners Declan Rice in midfield? Is it the maligned Jordan Henderson? Ross Barkley? Curtis Jones? Someone else.

And should Harry Maguire be the man next to Stones in defence? His form for England is always exceptional, even when his club form nosedive. Not only are these problems Southgate needs answers to, but they’re weaknesses opposition teams can exploit.

PORTUGAL

18 months after Lionel Messi claimed the World Cup victory that cemented him as the greatest player of all time, wouldn’t it be fitting for Ronaldo to win a second Euros title and re-stake his claim to be the greatest?

No side scored more than Portugal in qualifying for the tournament; 36. Only Romelu Lukaku (14) scored more than Ronaldo’s 10 goals throughout the campaign. Not only a frightening attacking outfit, Portugal’s side is extremely balanced.

Aside from Ronaldo, manager Roberto Martinez can call upon Rafael Leao, Diogo Jota, Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos and Pedro Neto in his forward line. Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves and Joao Palinha form a formidable midfield.

At the back is where the biggest doubts hang. Ruben Dias is having his most inconsistent season this decade, as is Joao Cancelo, with neither Goncalo Inacio nor Antonio Silva truly proven at international level.

However, the biggest question marks lie with the coach. Remember, this is the same Roberto Martinez many felt should’ve achieved more with Belgium’s late-2010s ‘golden era’. Though some argue third place at a World Cup was enough.

With their attack, goals won’t be Portugal’s problem and Martinez’s managerial style means conceding them won’t be either. Do they have enough to repeat their 2016 glory?

SMOKEYS

Only three host nations have won the Euros, with the most recent being France in 1984. This doesn’t read well for Germany’s chances. Although, the fact they’re host isn’t the driving factor behind doubts they can win it all.

Germany’s recent tournament history has been disappointing, to say the least. They’ve failed to progress from their group at the two most recent World Cups and only reached the round of 16 at Euro 2020. On the pitch, they’re a squad of talented square pegs forced into round holes, without a strong striker to steal results for them.

The Netherlands are always an exciting prospect before any international tournament. Virgil Van Dijk is having an exceptional season at Liverpool. As is Tottenham’s Micky Van de Ven, whose recovery pace is an asset to any side.

The concern with the Dutch side is a lack of goals. Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay have hardly set the world on fire this season.

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Goals are also a concern for the Italian national side. Despite being the reigning champions, no one would argue Luciano Spalletti’s side qualifies as one of the tournament’s favourites. However, they said that before Euro 2020 and look how that ended.

Spain has shown they’re capable of passing you to death in recent tournaments, although they lack the killer instinct to be considered a tournament heavyweight. They may control games but how capable are they of winning them, particularly in the latter stages?

Picture of Kyle Robbins
Kyle Robbins
Kyle is a senior sports writer and producer at Only Sports who lives and breathes sport, with a particular burning passion for everything soccer, rugby league, and cricket. You’ll most commonly find him getting overly hopeful about the Bulldogs and Chelsea’s prospects. Find Kyle on LinkedIn.

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