The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024), or simply Euro 2024, is the ongoing 17th edition of the
UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international
football championship organised by
UEFA for the
European men's national teams of its member associations.
Germany hosts the tournament, which is taking place from 14 June 2024 to 14 July 2024. The tournament comprises 24 teams, with
Georgia being the only team making their European Championship finals debut.
It is the third time that European Championship matches are played on German territory and the second time in
reunified Germany, as
West Germany hosted the tournament's
1988 edition, and four matches of the multi-national
Euro 2020 were played in
Munich. It is the first time the competition is held in what was formerly
East Germany, with
Leipzig as a host city, as well as the first major tournament since the
2006 FIFA World Cup that Germany serves as a solo host nation.[1][2] The tournament returned to its usual four-year cycle after the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
On 8 March 2017, UEFA announced that two countries, Germany and Turkey, had announced their intentions to host the tournament before the deadline of 3 March 2017.[5][6]
The host was selected on 27 September 2018 in
Nyon, Switzerland.[11][13][14] Germany initially planned to fully host Euro 2020, although had not announced any firm interest by May 2012.[15]
Voting results
Country
Votes
Germany
12
Turkey
4
Abstention
1
Total
17
Venues
Germany had a wide choice of stadiums that satisfied UEFA's minimum capacity requirement of 30,000 seats for European Championship matches.[16]
Each team chose a "team base camp" for its stay between the matches. The teams will train and reside in these locations throughout the tournament, travelling to games staged away from their bases. The "team base camp" needs to be in Germany.[32]
Tickets for the venues were sold directly by UEFA via its website, or distributed by the football associations of the 24 finalists. Ticket sales started on 3 October 2023. More than 80% of 2.7 million tickets for the 51 tournament matches were available for the fans of the participating teams and the general public.[56] Fans of each participating team allocated 10,000 tickets for group stage matches, 6,000 tickets for the round of 16 and quarterfinals, 7,000 for the semifinals, and 10,000 for the final match. Over 50 million applications from 206 countries were received. Besides fans of Germany, the most tickets were requested by fans supporting Turkey, Hungary, England, Albania and Croatia.[57] Prices ranged from €30 (for a seat behind the goal at a group match) to €1000 (for a seat in the main stand at the final).[58]
As hosts, Germany qualified for the tournament automatically. The 23 remaining spots were determined by a
qualifying tournament; 20 spots were decided by the direct qualification of the winners and runners-up of the 10 qualifying groups, with the remaining three spots decided by
play-offs.[59] Places in the play-offs were given to the teams that performed the best in the
2022–23 UEFA Nations League who did not already qualify via the main qualifying tournament.[60] The draw for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying group stage was held on 9 October 2022 at the
Festhalle in
Frankfurt.[61][62] The qualifying group stage took place from March to November 2023, while the three play-offs were held in March 2024.[63]
Qualified teams
Of the 24 teams that qualified for the tournament, 19 participated in the previous edition. These include the defending champions
Italy and runners-up
England, as well as
2022 World Cup runners-upFrance and bronze medalist
Croatia.
Portugal were the only team to qualify with a flawless record, whilst France, England,
Belgium,
Hungary and
Romania also qualified without a loss.[64]
Albania and
Romania returned after missing out on
Euro 2020, the former qualifying for only their second major tournament.
Serbia and
Slovenia both returned for the first time since
Euro 2000, with Serbia qualifying for the first time since Serbia and
Montenegrobecame separate nations, and Slovenia qualifying for their fourth major tournament as an independent nation.[65][66]Georgia beat
Greece on
penalties in the play-offs to qualify for their first-ever tournament since
gaining independence from the
Soviet Union in 1991, also becoming the only debutants for this edition and ensuring every final tournament since the inaugural
Euro 1960 saw one new team make their debut.[67]
Notable absentees include
Sweden,
Russia and
Wales. Sweden failed to reach the finals for the first time since
Euro 1996 and also failed to qualify for their second major tournament in a row, having missed out on the
2022 World Cup. Russia, who were regulars at finals since
Euro 2000, were barred from the qualifiers altogether in the aftermath of the
country's invasion of Ukraine, the first time a national team had been banned from the competition since
FR Yugoslavia in
1992. Wales, who reached the knockout stages at the previous two editions, including the semi-finals at
Euro 2016, lost to
Poland on penalties in the play-offs. Having made their debut at the previous edition,
North Macedonia and
Finland failed to qualify for this edition.
^FR Yugoslavia were initially to appear in
1992 (after qualifying as
Yugoslavia), but were replaced after being banned by the United Nations from all international sport.
Disqualification of Russia
At a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee in
Hvar, Croatia, on 20 September 2022, it was confirmed that
Russia would be excluded from qualifying for Euro 2024, reaffirming the suspension of all Russian teams following
the country's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and making this the first European Championship finals Russia would miss since
2000.[72][73][74][75]
Final draw
The final tournament draw took place on 2 December 2023, 18:00
CET, at the Elbphilharmonie in
Hamburg.[76] The teams were seeded in accordance with the
overall European Qualifiers rankings. Hosts Germany were automatically seeded into pot 1, and they were placed in position A1. The three play-off winners were not known at the time of the draw, and the teams participating in those play-offs, scheduled to be held in March 2024, were placed into pot 4 for the draw.[77][78][79][80] The draw was disrupted by various sexual noises whilst it was taking place, as the result of a prankster.[81][82]
Pot 1: Germany (Host), group winners ranked 1–5
Pot 2: Group winners ranked 6–10, group runner-up ranked 1 (6–11 overall)
Pot 3: Group runners-up ranked 2–7 (12–17 overall)
Pot 4: Group runners-up ranked 8–10 (18–20 overall), play-off winners A–C (identity unknown at the time of the draw)
The maximum squad size of the teams was increased from the original quota of 23 to 26 players. Teams had to provide the list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26 by the deadline of 7 June.[83]
Match officials
In April 2024, 19 refereeing teams were selected to take charge of the 51 matches at the tournament, including an Argentine team selected as part of a co-operation agreement between the
UEFA and
CONMEBOL confederations.[84][85]
In addition, UEFA announced twenty video match officials and twelve support match officials (who will act as fourth official or reserve assistant referee).[85]
UEFA announced the tournament schedule on 10 May 2022, which included kick-off times only for the opening match, semi-finals, and final.[86][87] The kick-off times for all other matches were announced on 2 December 2023 following the draw.[88][89]
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:[77]
Higher number of points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
Superior goal difference resulting from the matches played between the teams in question;
Higher number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
If, after having applied criteria 1 to 3, teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams who are still level to determine their final rankings.[a] If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5 to 9 will apply;
Superior goal difference in all group matches;
Higher number of goals scored in all group matches;
If on the last round of the group stage, two teams who are facing each other are tied in points, goal difference and goals scored then they drew their match, their ranking is determined by a
penalty shoot-out. (This criterion is not used if more than two teams had the same number of points.);
Lower disciplinary points total in all group matches (1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card regardless whether it was a direct red card or two yellow cards, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card);
Higher position in the
European Qualifiers overall ranking, unless the comparison involves host Germany, in which case a drawing of lots will take place.
Notes
^If there is a three-way tie on points, the application of the first three criteria may only break the tie for one of the teams, leaving the other two teams still tied. In this case, the tiebreaking procedure is resumed, from the beginning, for the two teams that are still tied.
Source:
UEFA Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Wins; 5) Lower disciplinary points total; 6)
European Qualifiers overall ranking (or drawing of lots, if hosts Germany had been involved in the tiebreaker).[77] Notes:
In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time,
extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each). If still tied after extra time, the match is decided by a
penalty shoot-out.[77]
There have been 100 goals scored in 44 matches, for an average of 2.27 goals per match (as of 2 July 2024). Players highlighted in bold are still active in the competition.
A player is automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences:[77]
Receiving a red card (red card suspensions can be extended for serious offences)
Receiving two yellow cards in two different matches; yellow cards expire after the completion of the quarter-finals (yellow card suspensions are not carried forward to any other future international matches)
The following players earned a suspension during the tournament:[137][103]
^Daku was handed a two-match ban, with the second match of the suspension to be served outside the tournament.
Prize money
The prize money was finalised on 2 December 2023. Each team will receive a participation fee of €9.25 million, with the winner able to earn a maximum of €28.25 million.[141]
Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to feature at a UEFA European Championship at 16 years and 338 days old after playing for
Spain against
Croatia. The previous youngest was Poland's
Kacper Kozłowski, 17 years and 246 days in 2021.[142]
Nedim Bajrami set the record for fastest goal scored in European Championship history, scoring for
Albania against
Italy in 23 seconds. This shattered the previous record of 67 seconds, by Russia's
Dmitri Kirichenko in 2004.[143]
Portugal's
Pepe became the oldest player to make an appearance at the European Championship, aged 41 years. Hungary goalkeeper
Gabor Király, the previous record holder, was aged 40 years 86 days when he faced Belgium in the round of 16 in 2016. Before Pepe, the oldest outfield player was
Lothar Matthäus, who won his 150th and final cap for Germany aged 39 years 91 days in 2000.[144]
Cristiano Ronaldo extended the record for the most tournaments featured in, appearing in his sixth European Championship.[145]
Luka Modrić became the oldest player to score a goal at the European Championship, aged 38 years and 289 days. The previous record was held by Austria's
Ivica Vastic, who was 38 years and 257 days when he scored against Poland in 2008.[146]
Kevin Csoboth set the record for the latest regular time goal in tournament history, scoring for
Hungary against
Scotland in the 10th minute after the 90-minute mark.[147][148]
The final Group F game between
Czech Republic and
Turkey broke the record for the most amount of
cards shown in total in a single match. 19 cards (17 yellow and 2 red) were shown (Czech Republic receiving 7 of them and Turkey 12), surpassing the previous record of 10 shown in the
Euro 2016 final between
Portugal and
France.[149]
Countdown clock for UEFA Euro 2024 in front of
Düsseldorf City Hall
Branding
The official logo was unveiled on 5 October 2021, during a ceremony at the
Olympiastadion in
Berlin. The logo depicts the
Henri Delaunay Trophy with 24 coloured slices around the trophy representing the 24 participating nations, and the ellipse reflects the shape of the
Olympiastadion.[152] In addition, each of the ten host cities has their own unique logo, featuring the following local sights:[153]
The official slogan of the tournament is "United by Football. Vereint im Herzen Europas." The slogan was chosen to promote diversity and inclusion.[154]
In November 2023, it was announced that
EA Sports had picked up the rights for the UEFA Euro 2024 video game, and that the Euro 2024
downloadable update would be coming to EA Sports FC 24, EA Sports FC Mobile, and EA Sports FC Online in the summer of 2024.[155] Released on 11 June, the update features a full tournament mode, local and online friendlies, and a Euro-themed single player career mode, called "Lead Your Nation", each including all of the teams, players, and tournament venues.[156][157]
From Euro 2024,
Fanatics will be controlling the e-commerce, event retail and licensing of UEFA National Team competitions until
Euro 2028.[158]
Topps, also owned by Fanatics, is the official sticker and trading card partner of the tournament, marking the end of
Panini's association with UEFA which began in 1976. Stickers were produced for all the Euro 2024 teams, including the teams that did not qualify for the
qualifying play-offs. These stickers can be sold, collected or
traded.[159]
In December 2023, Italian DJ group
Meduza, American pop rock band
OneRepublic and German singer
Kim Petras were all announced as the official music artists of the tournament.[160] However, in March 2024, it was announced that Petras had withdrawn from production due to scheduling issues, and was replaced by German singer
Leony.[161] The official song, "
Fire", was released on 10 May 2024.[162] It will be performed live by the three music artists at the tournament's closing ceremony before the
final on 14 July 2024.[163]
The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) will be located at the halls of the
Leipzig Trade Fair in
Leipzig, Germany.[164]
Unlike the previous two tournaments, UEFA has discontinued
4Kultra-high-definition broadcasts due to technical constraints, and amid lukewarm interest in the format among European broadcasters in comparison to
high-dynamic-range (HDR) color.[165]
Sponsorship
UEFA will use
virtual advertising for the first time in the history of Euros, having three different types of sponsorship besides the Global sponsors, one pack for Germany, one for the United States and another for the Chinese market.[166]
The official UEFA Euro 2024 mascot was unveiled on 20 June 2023 at the Germany vs.
Colombia international friendly in Gelsenkirchen.[186] The mascot is a teddy bear with shorts on.[187] A public vote was used to select the name of the mascot, with options being "Albärt", "Bärnardo", "Bärnheart" and "Herzi von Bär", all referencing the German word for bear (Bär).[188] Results were made public on 5 July, with the mascot's name announced to be "Albärt", getting 32% of the votes.[189]
Unofficially the event even has an
animal oracle following in the footsteps of
Paul the Octopus: Bubi the Elephant, who "predicted" Germany's opening round against Scotland with her initial kick through a makeshift goal.[190]
Match ball
Official
replica-version of the match ball "Fussballliebe".
The official match ball of the tournament, "Fussballliebe", was unveiled by UEFA and
Adidas on 15 November 2023.[191] Translated from the
German as "football love", it features black wing shapes with red, blue, orange and green edges and curves to showcase the qualified nations' vibrancy to the tournament, and the love that fans around the world give to football. Created with sustainable organic materials,[191] this is the first ball for a UEFA Euro to feature "Connected Ball Technology", where it contains internal electronic sensors, allowing detection of its movement for UEFA match officials to use to assist in decision-making.[192]
Controversies and incidents
England kit
The England team released their shirt designed by
Nike for the championship, which featured a different coloured version of the
flag of England on the back of the collar. The flag design was criticised by fans, media and politicians, including
UK Prime MinisterRishi Sunak, claiming that the flag on the England football kit should not be altered.[193] Nike claimed the design was inspired by the colours of the training kit worn by England during their triumph in the
1966 FIFA World Cup.
The Football Association also defended the design of the England flag, claiming it was not the first time that different colours had been used on an England kit, and rejected the suggestion of reverting it to its original colours.[194]
Pitch invasions
The Group F match between
Turkey and Portugal was interrupted four times by
pitch invaders trying to take a selfie with
Cristiano Ronaldo. Two others invaded the pitch right after the final whistle. Additional pitch invasions happened during the game between Albania and Italy, one during the game between Romania and Ukraine[195][196][197][198], and one during the round of 16 game between Romania and the Netherlands.[199]
During the second half of the Group A fixture between
Scotland and Hungary, Hungarian striker
Barnabás Varga was left
unconscious after a collision with Scottish goalkeeper
Angus Gunn, landing in a
fencing response. It was later revealed that Varga had suffered from a
concussion and sustained multiple
fracturedcheekbones.[204] Rapidly following the incident, medics made their way toward the scene and protective sheets were held around Varga. However, the stretcher bearers were seen walking toward the player, rather than running, prompting dismay from players, fans, and staff alike. Hungary captain
Dominik Szoboszlai and fellow player
Endre Botka proceeded to run with the stretcher in an attempt to speed up the process.[205] Following the injury, the captain expressed his frustration, stating that the medical staff did not react quick enough, with hopes that "everyone can save a few seconds and save a life." This was rebutted by UEFA, who claimed that the coordination between the on-site medical staff was "professional", with "no delay in the treatment of and assistance to the player.”[206]
The match was resumed after 10 minutes, as Hungary went on to win by a score of 0–1 following a stoppage time goal from
Kevin Csoboth, with Varga making a full recovery after undergoing surgery.[207]
Balkan incidents
During the group stage, several controversies came up due to the behaviour of various
Balkan fans and players. Albania and Serbia were both fined €10,000 after their fans displayed
irredentist symbols; Serbian fans displayed maps of
Kosovo as
being a part of Serbia while Albanian fans displayed maps of
Greater Albania. Serbia threatened to quit the tournament if UEFA did not take action against Croatia and Albania after some of their fans chanted anti-Serbian slogans during the match, such as Ubij ubij ubij Srbina ("Kill kill kill the Serb"); an investigation was later launched into Croatia.[208] After the group stage game between Albania and Croatia,
Mirlind Daku led the Albanian supporters in chanting anti-Macedonian and anti-Serbian slogans, and Albania was fined €47,250 and Daku was banned for two games. Kosovar journalist
Arlind Sadiku was banned after making the
crossed hands gesture towards Serbian fans during the Serbia and England game.[208]
^"EURO 2024 an Rhein und Ruhr". nrw.de (in German). North Rhine-Westphalia State Government. 27 September 2018.
Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
^"EURO 2024 play-offs: How they work". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 27 September 2022.
Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
^
ab"Referees and assistant referees"(PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 23 April 2024.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
^"UEFA Euro 2024 match schedule"(PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 May 2022.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
^"UEFA Euro 2024 match schedule"(PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 2 December 2023.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^"Meduza, OneRepublic and Kim Petras announced as UEFA EURO 2024's official music artists | UEFA EURO 2024". UEFA. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2024. on 20 March 2024 it was announced that due to unforeseen scheduling issues Kim Petras could no longer be part of the production of the official UEFA EURO 2024 song. Instead, German singer and songwriter Leony was announced as an official UEFA EURO 2024 music artist, who together with Italian producers Meduza and American pop-rock trailblazers OneRepublic will perform the official tournament song.