For the football fans out there, it’s finally time for Euro 2020. Of course, it’s going to be a footballing summer, so what exactly do you have to look forward to?
Here’s your quick guide to Euro 2020.
When Does it Take Place?
The Euros were supposed to occur in 2020, but we all know what happened this time last year. As a result, the tournament was postponed and is finally taking place in 2021.
The rescheduled tournament kicks off with Turkey vs. Italy on Friday 11th June at 20.00 before an action-packed weekend of football. Football fans will be in heaven as there are three games a day during the group stages and a steady stream of high-quality matches up to the final on 11th July.
It might be a year late, but it should be worth the wait!
Where is it Being Hosted?
We’re used to one country hosting European Championships and World Cups, but this year’s Euros is a little different.
Rather than one host, games are being held across Europe, adding something new to this edition.
Host cities include:
- Amsterdam
- Baku
- Bucharest
- Budapest
- Copenhagen
- Glasgow
- London
- Munich
- Rome
- Saint Petersburg
- Seville
The final to be hosted at Wembley will give England fans optimism that football might finally be coming home.
What Teams are Featuring?
This year’s tournament features 24 teams split between six groups.
With a mix of your traditional big teams and some smaller nations, it should be an intriguing tournament with plenty of potential for surprises. Here are the Euro 2020 qualified teams:
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Wales
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- Russia
- Austria
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Ukraine
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- England
- Scotland
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Portugal
Who are the Favourites?
So, who’s likely to end up triumphing at Wembley on 11th July?
As always, there’s a high-quality field, and it’s difficult to pick a winner; however, there are a few teams that stand out from the pack.
France
France are the current world champions and have an incredibly strong squad. With big names such as Kylian Mbape, Antoine Griezman up front, and the tireless Ngolo Kante in midfield, they’ve got more than enough to take on any team in the competition.
Belgium
Belgium is currently ranked number one globally, and like France, they’ve got an extremely strong team. With a group featuring Finland, Denmark, and Russia, they should be hoping to go far into the knockout phases, but can they repeat their form in a big tournament?
England
With a home final, some are picking England to go all the way. They’ve got some amazing talent in their squad, but can they win their first major tournament since 1966? A semi-final appearance in the last World Cup might give them some hope, but they’ve got a lot of work to do to take things a step further and make the Euro finals.
